Effect of orthodontic brackets on the accuracy of intra-oral scanning: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Aim: to evaluate the effect of orthodontic bracket presence on the accuracy of the intra-oral scanning.Methodology: Scanning of the maxillary and mandibular dental archs was done twice for 10 adolescent patients with fully erupted dentition. The first time was before bracket positioning using two different scanner medit i500 and trios 3-shape scanner and the second time was after brackets positioning. linear and angular measurement were performed. Including inter-canine width, inter first premolar width, inter second premolar width, inter first molar width and inter second molar width. Linear teeth dimension measurements include the mesio-distal width of each tooth which is the distance between the mesial and distal contact point. The angular arch dimension measurements which included 12 angles, 6 angles in each arch.Results: The results of the current study showed statistically significant difference in some linear and angular measurements which were clinically significant. Although the results were clinically significant, they showed small mean difference except in the mesio-distal width of the left maxillary second molar and the angular measurements especially the posterior angles at the last molar and that angle at the canine region. Conclusion: Based on the results of the current study There was no significant effect of the orthodontic brackets on the accuracy of the intra-oral scan.