MEDIUMResearchTier 1

Digital cross-section mapping: automated 3D quantification of peri-sulcular structures adjacent to epi- and subgingival finish lines in digital dentistry

SourceJournal of DentistryTier 1Peer-Reviewed Research

Originally at sciencedirect.com

Summary & scoring by The Bell Brief (Dr. Jennifer Bell) using the Drill-Down Protocol (Drill-Down Score) — not the original publisher.

Why it matters for dental

Dentists adopting fully digital workflows now have the first automated method to measure the exact 3-D relationship between finish lines and the peri-sulcular soft tissues—data that can reduce open-margin risk and improve emergence-profile design.

Key points

  • December 2026 Journal of Dentistry article presents an algorithm that quantifies sulcular depth and tissue thickness directly from intra-oral scans at both epi- and subgingival margins.
  • Automation removes the need for manual calipers or 2-D cross-sectioning, cutting measurement time from minutes to seconds per margin.
  • Authors Majed Kutaini and Sven Reich provide quantitative benchmarks for acceptable peri-sulcular dimensions that labs and clinicians can incorporate into CAD margin settings.
  • Technique is limited to digital impressions; clinicians still using conventional impressions or analog workflows will not gain immediate benefit.

Who should care

SpecialistAcademia

Read the original on Journal of Dentistry

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