Conventional vs. Digital Impression: Comfort Level, Preferences, and Acceptance of Treatment Time among Orthodontic Patients

Abstract

Background: The escalated technological development and the emergence of computer-aided manufacturing have improved dental restoration accuracy and the accurate manufacturing of prosthetic models. Objective: The study aims to assess patients' comfort level, preferences, and acceptance of treatment time for conventional impression technique vs. digital impression among orthodontic patients treated with clear aligners. Methods: A cross-sectional survey study was conducted between February 2019 and April 2019 by recruiting 50 patients from the orthodontic clinics at multiple centers. A self-administered questionnaire was designed to evaluate patients' perceptions in each impression technique group. Descriptive statistics and paired sample t-test were applied with statistical significance set at P<0.05. Results: The results showed that the impression technique bothered patients as they experienced helplessness during treatment. There was a significant impact on patients' perception of the treatment, whereas there was an insignificant association between comfort level and treatment of the patients. Conclusion: The technicalities of conventional impression were not applied to the intraoral scanners, making these scanners superior and more user-friendly. Digital impression techniques were also preferred by the participants regarding their time, taste/smell, and sensitivity.