Time and Cost-implications of Intraoral Scans Vs Alginate Impressions

Summary

BACKGROUND: Alginate impressions have long been a staple in orthodontics, but with recent technological advancements, digital impressions via intraoral scans are gaining increasing popularity. While much research has focused on patient preference and the accuracy of these techniques, there is a notable gap in the literature regarding chair side time and associated costs. Existing studies on chair side time comparisons between alginate impressions and intraoral scanning yield inconsistent results, underscoring the need for further investigation. This study aimed to evaluate the chair side time and cost implications of intraoral scanning and alginate impressions.

OBJECTIVES: The primary objective is to compare the chair side time taken for alginate impressions and intraoral scanning of orthodontic patients aged 9 years and over in an orthodontic department at a district general hospital. The secondary objective is to evaluate the costs associated with alginate impressions and intraoral scanning of orthodontic patients described above.

DESIGN, SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: A prospective, single-centre, parallel-arm randomised controlled trial (1:1 allocation) to be undertaken in a district general hospital. Sixty-eight orthodontic patients aged nine and above, requiring study models, will be recruited during new patient appointments at the Orthodontic Department at Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham. Patients will be randomly assigned to either the intraoral scan or alginate impression group, with chair side time recorded for each procedure, including retakes. The IOS group will use the 3Shape TRIOS scanner, while the alginate group will follow standard procedures. The costs of each technique will be calculated following the procedure. Ethical approval was obtained from a Health Research Authority Research Ethics Committee.

OUTCOMES: N/A

CONCLUSIONS: N/A

Conditions

• Alginate Impression
• Intraoral Scanner
• Time
• Cost

Interventions

PROCEDURE

Alginate impression

Alginate impressions are a traditional method for creating dental moulds which are used in orthodontic records. Plastic trays are sized to fit the upper and lower jaws, and the alginate is mixed into a putty before being placed in the trays. The putty is then used to take detailed impressions of the patient's teeth. To capture an accurate bite registration, the patient bites down on a piece of warmed wax.

PROCEDURE

Intraoral scan

Intraoral scanners capture multiple images of the mouth, which are combined to create a three-dimensional model of the patient's upper and lower teeth. The scanning wand is passed methodically over the surface of the teeth to gather all the necessary information, which is displayed in real-time on a computer screen.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust

  collaborator OTHER

• University of Sheffield

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Norah Flannigan · University of Sheffield

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

HEALTH_SERVICES_RESEARCH

Masking

SINGLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

9 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2025-03-31

Primary Completion

2026-03-31

Completion

2026-03-31

Countries

• United Kingdom

Study Locations