Comparison of the Trueness of Different 3D Facial Scanners

INTRODUCTION: Face scanners (FSs) using various technologies have become essential for creating three-dimensional (3D) virtual patients for clinical applications, but many remain costly and inaccessible. Affordable alternatives exist, but their accuracy in dental settings is unclear.OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to evaluate the trueness of 3D facial reconstructions produced by three cost-effective scanners for clinical use.METHODOLOGY: The face of a 30-year-old male was scanned using the Planmeca ProMax 3D ProFace as the control. Three scanners—Revopoint MINI, iPhone 13 Pro Max with Plus Identity photogrammetry (+ID), and Cloner—each performed 10 scans, generating 30 test models. Geomagic Control X assessed trueness by calculating the mean root mean square (RMS) of surface deviations. Trueness was categorized as highly reliable (1.5–2 mm), or unreliable (>2 mm). Trueness and trueness categories of the FSs were compared using ANOVA and chi square respectively.RESULTS: Trueness of the FSs differed significantly (p < 0.004), with Revopoint MINI showing the greatest trueness (mean ± SD = 0.9 ± 0.37), and 80% of its models classified as highly reliable. All FSs showed clinically acceptable scanning accuracy with deviations < 2 mm.CONCLUSIONS: The tested low-cost scanners demonstrated clinically acceptable trueness (