Design of wear facets of mandibular first molar crowns by using patient-specific motion with an intraoral scanner: A clinical study

Abstract

Statement of problemAlthough computer-aided design has become popular, restorations are typically designed from static occlusion and dynamically by using an average-value virtual articulator. Patient-specific motion recorded by using an intraoral scanner has rarely been used to design restorations, and its design ability has not been analyzed. PurposeThe purpose of this clinical study was to record patient-specific motion by using an intraoral scanner and to analyze its ability to design the morphology of the wear facets on mandibular first molar crowns. Material and methodsAn intraoral scanner was used to scan complete arch digital casts and to record patient-specific motion of 11 participants. Right and left mandibular first molars were selected as the target teeth. The complete crown preparations of the target teeth were virtually prepared on the digital mandibular casts by using the Geomagic Studio 2013 software program. High points were created by elevating the wear facets of the target teeth by 0.3 mm in the occlusal direction to generate digital wax patterns. The Dental System software program was used to design crowns with the anatomic coping design method. Occlusal adjustment with static occlusion (STA crown), with the average-value virtual articulator (DYN crown), and with patient-specific motion (FUN crown) was carried out. The crowns adjusted with these 3 methods were compared with the original wear facets. The mean value and root mean square (RMS) of 3D deviation were measured. One-way ANOVA was used to analyze the influence of the occlusal surface design methods on the morphology of the wear facets (α=.05). ResultsThe STA crowns had the poorest results with the mean ±standard deviation 3D deviation value of 0.15 ±0.05 mm and RMS value of 0.19 ±0.04 mm. The best results occurred in the FUN group, with the mean ±standard deviation 3D deviation value of 0.05 ±0.06 mm and RMS value of 0.13 ±0.03 mm. Significant differences were found among the 3 groups (P<.01). Except for the RMS value between the STA and DYN groups, significant differences were found between groups from the pairwise comparisons. ConclusionsThe occlusal surface of the crowns designed by using the patient-specific motion recorded with the intraoral scanner had the best coincidence with the morphology of the wear facets on the original teeth.