Can Dental Office Lighting Intensity Conditions Influence the Accuracy of Intraoral Scanning?

The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of different settings of ambient light intensity inside the dental office on the accuracy (trueness and precision) of an intraoral scanner (IOS). A full crown preparation was conducted on a resin molar which was scanned using a high resolution extraoral scanner to obtain a reference model. Six light settings were chosen based on the most clinically relevant light conditions inside the workspace, and the preparation was scanned using an intraoral scanner (PlanScan, Planmeca). The obtained data was analyzed using a professional 3D quality control software (Geomagic Control X). There was no statistically relevant difference between the groups when regarding trueness, although a slight influence of the light intensity could be observed on the trueness values. Regarding precision, the best results were obtained in the 3800 lux group, with the other groups presenting close values, excepting the extreme values (400 lux and 11 000 lux) groups that proved to be the most deficient.