The Motion Analysis of Impression Taking Using Optical Motion Capture System VICON

Objectives: Recently the intraoral scanner devices have highly improved and it might change the clinical procedure for dental restorative treatment. However it is difficult to apply same technique to all clinical cases. The conventional silicon impression taking technique using syringe is essential to accomplish the precise restoration because of the clinical case variety and it is also required to all dental practitioners as one of the basic clinical skill. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of the VTR teaching material in the clinical dental education about impression taking.
Methods: The subjects were trainee dentists working at Niigata University Medical and Dental Hospital. The clinical experience of acquiring a precise impression with a silicon impression material using a syringe is about several times. Each subject took impressions with the silicone impression material for formed abutment artificial teeth. Immediately after that, they watched the VTR teaching materials taken to reproduce the view of prosthodontists and took impressions under the same conditions again. From each result, the motion of impressions taking of subjects was measured using the motion capture system VICON. In addition, the occurrence rate was calculated by measuring the location of error such as mixing of air in the margin part.
Results: It was confirmed that changes the motion of the syringe for the abutment teeth before and after viewing of the VTR teaching material. In addition, the frequency of occurrence of errors tended to decrease. It is suggested that not only the motion at the impression taking is stabilized but also the impression accuracy may be affected by viewing the VTR teaching material.
Conclusions: The VTR teaching materials reproducing the view of prosthodontists suggested the effect of clinical teaching education that stabilizes the motion itself and educates accuracy of impression. The motion analysis by motion capture system shows the possibility that the stable impression taking motions leads to the impression accuracy, and it is expected to develop into the establishment of an educational system in the future.