Complete arch implant capture using a photogrammetry algorithm and smartphone app: An in vitro study
Andrea Santamaría-Laorden, Alicia Martínez Marugán, Cristina Andreu-Vázquez, Jaime Orejas Pérez
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To compare the accuracy of complete arch implant capture using two extraoral photogrammetry (PG) systems (PIC system® and PIC app®). METHODS: An edentulous cast with six multiunit abutment (MUA) analogs was digitised and 30 complete arch implant captures were performed by each PG system. Euclidean linear and angular measurements were obtained on the digitised reference model with a coordinate measuring machine (CMM) and were used to compare the discrepancies with the same measurements obtained using the PG devices. The Mann-Withney U test was used to analyse the trueness data, and the Levene test was used to analyse the precision values (α=0.05). RESULTS: The mean ± standard deviation results for the distance and angulation measurements obtained using the PIC system and PIC app, respectively (18.21 ± 12.21 μm and 0.10 ± 0.07 degrees, and 30.92 ± 20.88 μm and 0.16 ± 0.09 degrees, respectively). The mean differences between the PIC app® and PIC system® were 12.70 μm (95 % confidence interval [CI]: 10.47, 14.94; p < 0.001) and 0.07 degrees (95 % CI: 0.05, 0.07; p < 0.001) for the Euclidean linear and angular measurements, respectively. The PIC system® demonstrated a greater precision (lower variance, p = 0.035) for linear measurements; however, both extraoral PG systems exhibited similar precision (equal variances) for angular measurements (p = 0.112). CONCLUSIONS: PIC system® exhibited greater trueness for linear and angular measurements and linear precision. However, the impact of these statistically significant differences may not be clinically relevant. STATEMENT OF CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The PIC system® has been reported as an accurate PG method for recording the three-dimensional implant positions in complete arch prostheses; however, high equipment costs limit its widespread adoption. With the PIC app®, smartphones provide the democratisation of the PIC system® using an accurate and cost-effective approach.