Measurement accuracy of alveolar soft tissue contour using a laboratory laser scanner.

Steric analysis of morphological changes is important for evaluation of surgical techniques. This study was performed to assess the measurement accuracy of alveolar soft tissue contour with a laboratory laser scanner. The width of the maxillary alveolar soft tissue contour was evaluated in 20 volunteers. Measurement sites were established in the alveolar soft tissue contour of the maxillary incisor and canine areas. Each site was evaluated by direct measurement with a microcaliper for each subject (DMM) and image measurement using a laboratory laser scanner (IMS). The accuracy of measurement methods was evaluated. Additionally, two plaster models obtained from the same subjects were scanned and superimposed, and the nonoverlapping areas were measured. Each measurement method exhibited a strong correlation (r = 0.89). The interclass correlation coefficient (single measure) between examiners was also high for each measurement method (PMM 0.978; IMS 0.997). In the superimposed images of the two plaster models, the distance of the nonoverlapping region was only 0.06 ± 0.08 mm in the labial aspect and 0.07 ± 0.09 mm in the palatal aspect. The image measurement of the scanning data shows high accuracy in evaluation of the alveolar soft tissue contour. This technique is useful for evaluation of chronological changes in the alveolar contour after soft and hard tissue augmentation.