Accuracy and Comfort in Digital and Conventional Impression in Pediatric Dental Patients: A Randomized Comparative Study.

Background And Aim: Pediatric dental impressions are a crucial component of dental care for children, and the choice between digital and conventional impression techniques can significantly impact the treatment outcomes and patient experience. Understanding the time efficiency and comfort levels associated with these techniques along with their accuracy is essential for informed decision-making in pediatric dentistry. This study aimed to compare digital and conventional impression techniques in pediatric dentistry, focusing on the accuracy of dimensions for either technique, time required, pain, gag reflex, and patient comfort.

Materials And Method: A randomized crossover-controlled study was conducted with 23 pediatric patients aged eight to 12 years who required dental impressions. Patients were randomly assigned using computer-generated sequences to either the digital or conventional impression groups. In the first appointment, one group received the alginate impression first, while the other group had the digital scanner impression first. Then, in the second appointment, the crossover was performed and the sequence was reversed. The primary outcome evaluated was the accuracy of dimensions for either technique focusing on the mesiodistal width of central incisors, intercanine width, and intermolar width. Secondary outcomes recorded procedure duration, patient comfort, pain, and gag reflex using the visual analog scale (VAS). The data analysis was performed using SPSS software version 20.0 (Chicago, IL: IBM Corp.) at a significance level of p<0.05.

Results: Intercanine width measurements in both the maxilla and mandible showed no significant differences between scanner and alginate impressions. The intermolar width in the maxilla and the mesiodistal width of the permanent mandibular central incisor with the scanner gave higher measurements which were statistically significant (p=0.006 and p<0.001, respectively). Conventional alginate impressions resulted in significantly higher mean values for impression time, pain, and gag reflex (p<0.001). Children were found to be more comfortable with the intraoral scanning and it was statistically significant.

Conclusion: Digital intraoral scanning offers accuracy, speed, and improved patient comfort in pediatric dentistry, highlighting its potential to enhance diagnostic and treatment procedures and can serve as a valuable tool for specific clinical needs, balancing innovation and established practices.