Effect of scan pattern on the scan accuracy of a combined healing abutment scan body system.

STATEMENT OF PROBLEM: A recently introduced scan body combined with a contoured healing abutment enables digital scans of the implant while its healing abutment shapes the soft tissue for an appropriate emergence profile. However, information on the effect of different scan patterns on the scan accuracy of this new system is lacking. PURPOSE: The purpose of this in vitro study was to evaluate the effect of scan pattern on the accuracy of digital implant scans by using a combined healing abutment-scan body system. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A combined healing abutment-scan body system was secured on a single implant at the right first molar site in a dentate mandibular model. A master reference model was generated by scanning the model with an industrial light scanner. The model was then scanned with 4 different scan patterns (SP-A, SP-B, SP-C, and SP-D) by using an intraoral scanner (TRIOS 3). Test scans (n=8) were superimposed over the master reference model by using a metrology software, and distance and angular deviations were calculated. Distance and angular deviation data were analyzed with a multivariate analysis of variance and the Tukey honestly significant difference tests for trueness and precision (α=.05). RESULTS: Distance deviations (trueness [P=.461] and precision [P=.533] deviations) in the scans were not significantly affected by the scan pattern. Scan pattern affected the trueness (P=.001) and precision (P=.002) when angular deviations were considered. In terms of trueness, SP-D resulted in the highest angular deviations in scans (P≤.031), while the difference in deviations in scans obtained by using other scan patterns was not significant (P≥.378). When angular deviation data were considered, SP-D resulted in lower scan precision than SP-A (P=.014) and SP-B (P=.007). The precision of scans using SP-C was similar to the precision of the scans made by using other scan patterns (P≥.055) in terms of angular deviations. CONCLUSIONS: The scan accuracy of a combined healing abutment-scan body system was affected by the scan pattern. The scans performed with SP-D presented the lowest accuracy considering the angular deviation data and, therefore, may be the least favored among the patterns tested for scanning a combined healing abutment-scan body system.