The Immediate Effects of a 3D Intraoral Scanner as an Adjunctive Oral Hygiene Educational Tool: A Randomised Controlled Trial.

OBJECTIVES This single-visit randomised controlled clinical trial (RCT) aimed to evaluate the immediate effects of a three-dimensional (3D) intraoral scanner as an adjunctive oral hygiene education tool compared to standard personalised oral hygiene instruction (OHI) in healthy adults.

METHODS Fifty-two subjects were randomised into the IOS (test) or the hand mirror (control) group. Full mouth plaque score (FMPS) was measured at baseline and immediately after the intervention. Subjects also completed a questionnaire assessing their perception of plaque visualisation and the effectiveness of the intervention.

RESULTS Both groups achieved a statistically significant reduction in FMPS post-intervention compared to baseline (p < 0.05). The test group demonstrated a statistically significant change in FMPS (p < 0.05) and a reduction in plaque on the posterior teeth compared to the control group (p < 0.05), but not on the anterior teeth (p > 0.05). The treatment effect increased towards the posterior teeth, reaching statistical significance from the third molars to the second premolars (p < 0.05). Survey results also revealed that 96.2% of the test group favoured the IOS, particularly for visualising and cleaning posterior and lingual/palatal surfaces.

CONCLUSION The 3D intraoral scanner showed short-term benefits in plaque visualisation and removal, especially in areas with poor visibility. IOS is well-accepted by subjects and may serve as a promising adjunctive tool in OHE.

TRIAL REGISTRATION ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT06349330 (available at https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06349330).