If you're getting dental implants to replace all your teeth, the way your dentist takes the impression matters. A new analysis of 11 studies shows that photogrammetry, a 3D imaging technique, may be more accurate than the more common intraoral scanning method.
The researchers looked at how well each method captured the position of implants in the jaw. They found that photogrammetry was significantly better in three key areas: precision (how consistent the measurements were), angle deviation (how closely the angles matched the real implants), and trueness (how close the digital model was to the actual implant positions). The differences were small but statistically significant, meaning they are unlikely to be due to chance.
These results come from lab studies, not real patients, so the findings may not fully apply in a dental office. Still, the evidence is strong enough to suggest that photogrammetry could lead to better-fitting implant-supported teeth and fewer adjustments down the line.
