The Application of Intraoral Scanners in Orthodontic Care for Adolescents with Disabilities

Abstract

Access to dental services for young disabled patients is challenging and expensive, often necessitating treatment under general anesthesia. Additionally, ensuring accuracy during impression-taking procedures can be very difficult or outright impossible using traditional methods. Newly developed systems for capturing three-dimensional images of the oral cavity can facilitate the treatment of patients with disabilities. The research aimed to assess the timing of intraoral scanning using a scanner in orthodontic treatment, comparing disabled patients undergoing clear aligner therapy with their healthy counterparts. Scanning times were compared in two patient groups. Group I comprised patients with a certificate of disability, while Group II (control) consisted of patients without a certificate of disability. Maxillary and mandibular scans, as well as bite registration, were performed with the intraoral scanner. The mean scanning time in study Group I was 8.59 min, while in control Group II, it was 5.71 min. The results demonstrated statistical significance, reaching a significance level of p < 0.001. The scanning of disabled patients proved to be more challenging and time-consuming compared to patients in the control group. Consequently, doctors must consider the need to allocate more time to a disabled person during a visit. Despite the difficulties, disabled patients accepted this method of bite scanning. There was no need to carry out such a procedure under general anesthesia. This confirms that scanning should be the preferred method in orthodontic treatment for disabled patients.