Accuracy of complete arch implant scans recorded by using intraoral and extraoral photogrammetry systems: An in vitro clinical study

The study proposed by Dr. Revilla-León aimed to analyze reliability of photogrammetry systems for fabricating complete arch implant-supported prostheses. For this purpose, a total of 5 systems were evaluated: 4 extraoral photogrammetry systems and an intraoral scanner.

This research is particularly valuable due to the previous lack of comprehensive comparisons between alternative photogrammetry systems. Even as an in vitro study, it marks a significant step forward in demonstrating the accuracy of photogrammetry and how the type of system influences the trueness and precision of complete arch implant scans.

The team used an edentulous maxillary stone cast with 6 implant abutment analogs (MultiUnit Abutment Plus Replica) that was digitized (T710).

The systems compared were 4 extraoral PG systems, including PIC system Legacy, the very first generation of PIC system originally released in 2010, Icam4D (Imetric, 2018), Grammee (BlueSkyBio-Tupel3D, 2024), OxoFit (Oxo, 2022)—, and an intraoral scanner, Aoralscan Elite (Shining 3D, 2024).

Five groups were created based on the PG system used to capture complete arch implant scans. In each group, the corresponding optical markers were placed on the implant abutment analogs of the reference cast, and 30 consecutive scans were recorded. Euclidean linear and angular measurements were obtained from the digitized reference cast and used to compare discrepancies with the same measurements obtained from each experimental scan.

One-way ANOVA and Tukey tests were used to analyze the trueness data, while the Levene test was used to analyze precision values (α=.05). The team evaluated the accuracy (trueness and precision) of complete arch implant scans recorded with each system. 

PIC system Legacy, released 15 years ago and no longer for sale since 2022, still provides the best linear and angular precision compared to all newer alternatives on the market

The team observed linear and angular mean ±SD discrepancies among the different groups, particularly between the extraoral systems and the intraoral system, with showed lower accuracy results.

Graphic showing PIC dental's best linear precision among groups tested (A, Linear measurements. B, Angular measurements)

PIC system Legacy demonstrated significantly better linear trueness than the other PG systems, and PIC system also obtained the best linear precision (17 ±4) along with the best angular precision (0.34 ±0.01) among the groups tested.

These findings are noteworthy given the fact that the system used in this in vitro study was a PIC system Legacy, which was discontinued in 2022. This suggests that newer PIC system formats, with improvements such as the Micron Vision camera modules offering a 30% higher accuracy, would likely achieve even better results.

We are thrilled with the conclusions of Dr. Revilla-León's study, and we eagerly anticipate seeing this method applied in further in vivo clinical studies. PIC dental is committed to providing the dental community with the best photogrammetry technology to improve treatment outcomes and patient experiences. We take pride in knowing that even our Legacy system still delivers the most reliable photogrammetry performance.

SOURCE

• Revilla-León, M., Gómez-Polo, M., Drone, M., Barmak, A. B., Kois, J. C., & Pérez-Barquero, J. A. (2025). Accuracy of complete arch implant scans recorded by using intraoral and extraoral photogrammetry systems. The Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.prosdent.2025.01.041