A questionnaire on the use of digital denture impressions in a preclinical setting

Since February 2010, intraoral scanning (Lava COS system, 3M ESPE, Seefeld, Germany) has been integrated into the preclinical curriculum at the Department of Prosthodontics of the Justus Liebig University. All students were given a lecture and were trained using a guided scan exercise. After preparing three teeth (mandibular first premolars and mandibular first molar in the 4th quadrant) for cast crowns, the students were asked to scan the maxillary and mandibular teeth. Their acceptance of the new module, "Scanning," was analyzed with the use of a questionnaire (n = 108). The evaluation showed that 63.9% of the students perceived the digital impression to be informative, and had an overall positive opinion of this new digital technology. Concerning the difficulty of the scanning process, approximately 60.2% considered it to be manageable, while 55.6% reported that the magnified view of their preparations improved their understanding of preparing chamfer finish lines. Altogether, the majority of students appreciated this intraoral scanning device as an enhancement of their education. They indicated that this method contributes to a better understanding of crown preparations. In conclusion, the implementation of intraoral scanning seems promising in preclinical education and will be continued in the curriculum. Keywords: digital denture impression, intraoral scanner, Lava COS system, preclinical education in dentistry, learning effect by 3D technology, CAD/CAM