Integration of imaging modalities in digital dental workflows - possibilities, limitations, and potential future developments

Abstract

The digital workflow process follows different steps for all dental specialties. However, the main ingredient for the diagnosis, treatment planning and follow-up workflow recipes is the imaging chain. The steps in the imaging chain usually include all or at least some of the following modalities: cone-beam computed tomographic data acquisition, segmentation of the cone-beam computed tomography image, intraoral scanning, facial three-dimensional soft tissue capture and superimposition of all the images for the creation of a virtual augmented model. As a relevant clinical problem, the accumulation of error at each step of the chain might negatively influence the final outcome. For an efficient digital workflow, it is important to be aware of the existing challenges within the imaging chain. Furthermore, artificial intelligence-based strategies need to be integrated in the future to make the workflow more simplified, accurate and efficient.

Pros and Cons of CAD/CAM Technology for Infection Prevention in Dental Settings during COVID-19 Outbreak

“…Using real-time imaging, it allows for individualised feedback on one’s own oral health, care of patients, patient choices, and possible outcomes. It also allows for the preparation or modification of new or broken dental devices (for dentures, bridges, crowns, veneers, and orthodontic appliances or procedures), guides for a precise dental implant insertion with a reduced number of appointments, shorter chair-side time, as well as higher precision and accuracy, when compared with conventional methods [ 3 , 49 , 57 , 61 , 68 , 69 , 73 , 74 , 75 ]. Even dental plaque examination by IOS is an advantageous new approach for dental hygiene instruction and evaluation (by binarization of the 3D images); in addition to preventing infection, the evaluation and recording can be performed by one person while the direct method requires two people (potentially exposed to SARS-CoV-2): an evaluator and a recorder [ 76 ].…”

A Novel Digital Method for Evaluation of Mucosa Thickness Changes in Time: Changes Associated With a Removable Partial Denture

“…Accurate superimposition of multi-modal and temporal images represents the first step toward threedimensional evaluation of tissue dynamics. The concept of virtual patient, i.e., combining multimodal images such as intraoral scanning, face scanning, and CBCT (Mangano et al, 2018;Shujaat et al, 2021;Unkovskiy et al, 2021), is a recent well-accepted clinical approach to treatment planning in dentistry. The concept was enhanced for research purposes in the present study, adding the fourth dimension, i.e., time.…”

“…Developments in the imaging technologies in dentistry, such as cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) and optical scanning, revolutionised the field in research and clinical setting (Gaêta-Araujo et al, 2020;Shujaat et al, 2021). CBCT enables the evaluation and visualisation of mineralised structures such as bones and teeth that are not visible at clinical examination.…”

Smartphone-Based Facial Scanning as a Viable Tool for Facially Driven Orthodontics?

“…Furthermore, the use of stabilizing tools for CBCT scanning such as chin rests or forehead restraints could deform the surface anatomy of the facial soft tissue, and it is also susceptible to a variety of artifacts, including metal and motion artifacts, which can have a negative impact on image quality [ 7 , 8 ]. To address the lack of soft tissue data provided by CBCT scanners, 3D facial scanners have been integrated into digital routines such as stereophotogrammetry, laser, and structured-light systems, offering a non-ionizing technique for creating a copy of the facial soft tissue with a precise portrayal of texture and static geometry in three dimensions [ 9 ] since the texture and color is significant for treatment planning in orthodontics. These complementary methods could be precise, quick, and easy to use.…”