Surgical Guide
Computer-aided surgical guides were created to overcome the limitations of conventional radiographic surgical stents. They provide a link between our treatment plan and the actual surgery by transferring the simulated plan accurately to the surgical site. The surgical guide is custom manufactured for each patient.
The digital revolution is the shift from mechanical and analogue electronic technology to digital electronics with the adoption of computers, and it is rapidly transforming the world. Today, computers and digital devices are an inevitable part of our daily life, and dentistry is no exception. Dentistry has recently been dominated by various digital technologies such as cone beam computed tomography (CBCT), computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM), stereolithography, intraoral scanners, and 3-dimensional (3-D) implant planning software for virtual implant treatment planning and surgical guide fabrication. To overcome the limitations associated with a conventional radiographic surgical stent, computer-aided surgical guides have been created. A computer-generated surgical guide provides a link between our treatment plan and the actual surgery by transferring the simulated plan accurately to the surgical site. This surgical guide is made using the stereolithography process and is custom manufactured for each patient.
Stereolithography, a rapid prototyping technology, is a newer addition to dentistry that allows the fabrication of surgical guides from 3D computer-generated models for precise placement of the implants. The surgical templates fabricated by this technology are preprogrammed with individual depths, angulations, and mesiodistal and labiolingual positionings of the implant.
Moreover, this technique allows for flapless implant placement, which offers a few advantages such as shorter surgical time, faster recuperation, less postoperative pain and swelling, and better esthetic outcomes.
More precise placement of implants even if septum exists
High geometrical accuracy
Shorter treatment and surgery times.
Less invasive flapless surgery and therefore less chance of swelling.
Less postoperative strain on the dentist and patient.
Dentist can view the virtual 3D model from different angles using the software to customize the treatment plan.
Validations
“….The use of computer-guided surgery allows for the placement of dental implants with high clinical accuracy. According to Nickenig et al., an average positional precision of ≤1 mm and within 5 degrees of deviation in inclination can be achieved. Their study documented that the axis and implant position is significantly more precise when using a three-dimensional surgical guide compared to freehand placement. The three-dimensional assessment of the restorative plan via radiopaque duplication of the dental mock-up in the scanning guide allows for highly accurate virtual planning of implants. This enables the clinician to optimally position the implants through the guided surgery guide during implant surgery.” (Weber et al., Digital Implant Surgery, Clinical application of digital dental technology, 2015)