Digital Impressions for comparing inter-canine distance Improve Pediatric Treatment Adherence: Study
A new study published in the journal of European Oral Research found that digital impression techniques for comparing inter-canine distance offer a more comfortable and patient-friendly experience for children, making them a preferable alternative to alginate impressions to enhance treatment adherence.
In pediatric dentistry, digital impression technologies are becoming more and more popular since they provide a cozy substitute for conventional alginate impressions. It is crucial to assess their precision as well as the degree of dental anxiety they cause in kids, as these aspects affect collaboration, the standard of care, and the entire clinical experience.
These results in young patients are investigated in this study. This study aimed to compare the inter-canine distance calculated on digital models created by a digital scanner with those derived from cast models created using pediatric patients' alginate impressions. It also sought to compare the degree of dental anxiety related to the two imprint methods.
A total of 50 patients between the ages of 9 and 13 who sought dental care at the Department of Pedodontics made up the research population. For every patient, digital and alginate imprints were obtained in succession. At baseline and following each impression technique, the five-point Facial Image Scale (FIS) was used.
Measurements of oxygen saturation and pulse rate were made, and the maximum results were noted. Digital models, plaster castings, and intraoral measurements were used to estimate inter-canine lengths. Dental anxiety and measurement accuracy were evaluated between the two imprint techniques. To compare data between groups, the Kruskal-Wallis H test was employed.
Intraoral and alginate readings did not substantially differ from digital measures, which were much higher. The alginate imprint approach produced higher mean scores than the digital method when FIS scores were compared, which suggested a higher degree of dental anxiety (p = 0.026).
Regarding oxygen saturation levels, there was no statistically significant difference between the two approaches (p = 0.27). Nonetheless, there was a significant difference (p = 0.001) between the mean pulse rates seen during the alginate impressions and the digital impressions.
Overall, given that it is a more patient-friendly technique, the digital imprint method may be preferable over alginate impressions to increase treatment adherence in youngsters. To more clearly characterize the benefits and drawbacks of digital impression methods in pediatric dentistry, more studies with bigger sample numbers are required.
Source:
Topaloglu, A., Senguler, B., Dogan, E., & Seyedoskuyi, V. (2025). Accuracy and dental anxiety assessment of digital impression among pediatric patients. European Oral Research, 59(3), 217–221. https://doi.org/10.26650/eor.20251398454
