Comparison between digital and conventional impression techniques in children on preference, time and comfort: A crossover randomized controlled trial

Abstract

Objective: To compare the conventional alginate impression and the digital impression taken with an intraoral scanner of both dental arches in children, using a randomized crossover design. Trial Design: This is a monocentric, controlled, superiority, randomized, crossover, open study. Methods: Twenty-four orthodontic patients between 6 and 11 years of age underwent intraoral scanning (TRIOS 3; 3Shape) and alginate impression of both dental arches with an interval of 1 week between the two procedures. Participants were recruited from September 2021 to March 2022 and the study was completed in April 2022. Impression time for the two procedures was compared. Patients were asked which one of the two impression procedures they preferred. A questionnaire including Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) for comfort, pain, gag reflex and difficulty in breathing, was administered to the patients. Results: Eighteen out of 24 patients preferred digital impression (75%, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 55% to 88%; P =.014). Scanning time was significantly shorter than alginate impression time (difference −118 seconds; 95% CI: −138 to −99; P