2026 Volume 51 Issue 1 Pages 12-21
[Purpose] From patients with unilateral complete cleft lips and palates, images of plaster casts obtained using alginate impression materials at the time of the initial lip and palate surgery (Model group) were compared with optical impression images obtained using an intraoral scanner (Scan group).
[Materials and Methods] A total of 94 pairs comprising plaster cast images (Models) and intraoral scanned images (Scans) were obtained from 80 infants who underwent initial surgery and palatoplasty for unilateral cleft lips and palates between October 2019 and November 2024 at Showa Medical University Fujigaoka Hospital.
[Results] From the 94 pairs, 16 Models and 27 Scans were rejected, resulting in 37 measurable pairs. Most of the rejected specimens contained incomplete impressions of the tuberosity points, in both groups. There were no significant differences between the Model and Scan groups regarding the length or angle measurements.
[Conclusion] The results suggest that the optical impression method using intraoral scanning is useful for documenting cleft lips and palates.
