Comparative accuracy of digital impressions using universal dual-purpose scan jigs for maxillary implant full arch impressions: An in vitro study

Purpose: To assess the accuracy of intraoral scanners (IOSs) for final impressions using dual-purpose scan jigs (DPSJs) and standard scan bodies (SBs). Materials and Methods: An edentulous typodont model with multiunit abutment analogs in the lateral incisor (L), premolar (P), and molar (M) regions was used for intraoral scanning following the manufacturer's recommended protocol. This process involved digitally scanning standard SBs and DPSJs, with the obtained data superimposed and compared against the reference model. Three-dimensional (3D) evaluation software (Geomagic Control X) was then employed to identify any deviations in the data, followed by statistical analysis using ANOVA one-way tests and Bonferroni post hoc tests to determine differences at each location. Results: The overall accuracy ranged from 21.8 to 16.8 µm for DPSJs and from 25.3 to 16.1 µm for SBs. Statistical analysis showed no significant differences between DPSJs and SBs across lateral incisor (L), premolar (P), and molar (M) locations. Specifically, SBs exhibited higher accuracy in lateral incisors (16.8 µm) compared to DPSJs (21.8 µm), but this difference lacked statistical significance. Similarly, in premolar locations, SBs were slightly more accurate (16.1 µm) than DPSJs (17.3 µm), with no statistical significance. Conversely, DPSJs showed slightly better accuracy in molar locations (17.3 µm) than SBs (19.1 µm), which was not statistically significant. Conclusion: The in vitro study concluded that intraoral digital scanning with DPSJs showed comparable accuracy to standard scan bodies for fully edentulous arches. Furthermore, the 3D deviation of implant positions using both DPSJs and SBs fell within clinically acceptable ranges.