Study Model vs Digital Scan for Refinement

The short answer

Physical study models still beat digital scans for occlusal analysis in select cases. The two indications where PVS is worth the mess.

How to decide

1. Diagnostics first. A full records set, photos, radiographs, digital scan, periodontal chart, precedes any commercial or clinical commitment.
2. Biomechanical feasibility. The predictability table is the honest reference for what aligners will and will not deliver.
3. Cost and time envelope. The treatment cost drivers explainer sets the vocabulary; the specific case sets the number.
4. Retention plan. The decision changes if the case needs fixed retention, removable retention, or a combination. Read fixed vs removable retention evidence.

Trade-off matrix

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Short answer on trade-off matrix: Option A, Option B and Combined. These are the points patients in India ask about most. Confirm every point in writing with your orthodontist before treatment starts. Study Model vs Digital Scan for Refinement covers the detail below with Indian pricing context.

Option	Best for	Time cost	Risk profile
Option A	Straightforward, low-complexity cases	Short	Low
Option B	Complex, multi-arch cases	Long	Moderate
Combined	Cases that need movement plus restoration	Longest	Sequencing-sensitive

What to ask before you commit

• What is the exact scope of what I'm paying for, in writing?
• What happens if treatment lands short of the target?
• Who owns the mid-treatment adjustment decision, clinician or patient?
• What is the escalation path if compliance drops?

Where this fits

Read alongside refinement rounds and the invisible braces pillar.