Unnikrishnan Jyotsna, Bakr Mahmoud, Love Robert, Idris Ghassan
School of Medicine and Dentistry, Griffith University, Gold Coast, QLD 4222, Australia.
Oral Health Service, Metro North Hospital and Health Service, Queensland Children's Hospital, South Brisbane, QLD 4101, Australia.
Children (Basel). 2024 Jul 6;11(7):827. doi: 10.3390/children11070827.
Cleft lip and palate (CL/P) are a common congenital craniofacial anomaly requiring precise impressions for effective treatment. Conventional impressions (CIs) pose challenges in neonates with CL/P due to their delicate oral anatomy. While digital impressions (DIs) are increasingly recognised for their potential benefits over conventional methods in dentistry, their accuracy and application in neonates with cleft lip and palate (CL/P) remain underexplored. This study aimed to assess the accuracy of DIs compared to CIs in neonates with CL/P, using alginate and putty materials as references. A laboratory-based case-control study was conducted, utilising soft acrylic models resembling neonatal mouths with CL/P. Alginate and putty impressions were obtained conventionally, while digital impressions were captured using an intraoral scanner (IOS). A total of 42 models were analysed, divided evenly into three groups, with each group comprising 14 models. Superimposition and surface discrepancy analyses were performed to evaluate impression accuracy. The results revealed no statistically significant differences between the digital and conventional impressions in their intra-arch measurements and surface discrepancies. The mean measurement values did not significantly differ among groups, with values indicating no significant variations ( > 0.05), confirmed by an analysis of variance. High intra-examiner reliability with Intra Class Coefficient (ICC) values close to 1 indicated consistent measurements over time. The current study demonstrates that DIs are equally accurate as conventional alginate and putty impressions in neonates with cleft lip and palate, offering a viable and less invasive alternative for clinical practise. This advancement holds promise for improving the treatment planning process and enhancing patient comfort, particularly in vulnerable neonatal populations. Further research is warranted to explore the clinical implications and factors affecting DI accuracy in this population.
唇腭裂（CL/P）是一种常见的先天性颅面畸形，需要精确印模以进行有效治疗。由于新生儿唇腭裂患者口腔解剖结构 delicate，传统印模（CIs）在这些新生儿中面临挑战。虽然数字印模（DIs）在牙科领域相对于传统方法的潜在优势越来越受到认可，但其在唇腭裂新生儿中的准确性和应用仍未得到充分探索。本研究旨在以藻酸盐和橡皮泥材料为参考，评估数字印模与传统印模在唇腭裂新生儿中的准确性。进行了一项基于实验室的病例对照研究，使用类似于唇腭裂新生儿口腔的软丙烯酸模型。通过传统方法获得藻酸盐和橡皮泥印模，同时使用口腔内扫描仪（IOS）采集数字印模。共分析了42个模型，平均分为三组，每组包含14个模型。进行叠加和表面差异分析以评估印模准确性。结果显示，数字印模和传统印模在牙弓内测量和表面差异方面没有统计学上的显著差异。各组的平均测量值之间没有显著差异，方差分析证实 值表明没有显著变化（>0.05）。组内相关系数（ICC）值接近1表明检查者内部可靠性高，即随着时间的推移测量结果一致。当前研究表明，在唇腭裂新生儿中，数字印模与传统藻酸盐和橡皮泥印模同样准确，为临床实践提供了一种可行且侵入性较小的替代方法。这一进展有望改善治疗计划过程并提高患者舒适度，特别是在脆弱的新生儿群体中。有必要进一步研究探索该人群中数字印模准确性的临床意义和影响因素。
