Surgical Guide for Dental Implants

Safe | Precise | Better Results

What is an Implant Surgical Guide?

A Surgical Guide for Dental Implants is a 3D designed plate that fits right over a patient's jawbone and guides in placement of Dental Implant at correct angles and up till the correct depth. It generally looks like shown in the given picture, but design varies case to case.

The life of the implant depends upon its correct placement according to the bone as well in coherence with the other implants placed in the same jaw for better load distribution. Hence a Surgical ensures that the drills used for Dental Implant placement go to the exact site and till the exact depth.

How is a Surgical Guide made?

This includes an initial virtual planning of each individual case on a Surgical Guide software utilizing the patients three-dimensional CT-scan. With the help of this 3D software, the ideal size & position of each Dental Implant is planned virtually according to the most suitable jaw areas. This data of Dental Implant position and implant size is then transferred into a 3D printed plastic device, the so-called 3D surgical guide. During the procedure the Implant insertion is guided with exact precision as planned in 3D surgical guide.

Benefits of Surgical Guide

Precise and predictable placement of Dental Implants
Eliminates the need for soft tissue incisions during Surgery
Decreased risk of damage to surrounding healthy tissues
Reduced postoperative complications such as swelling, bruising and pain
Faster healing time
Reduced risk of bio-mechanical complications and failure

Free Hand Dental Implant Placement vs Surgically Guided Implant Placement

Free Hand Dental Implant Placement

In freehand surgery cases,Panoramic radiographs (OPG) are used to assess the available bone for the implant placement as well as the surrounding anatomy of the jaw. Traditionally, gauges or periodontal probes or calipers have been used during the examination of Jaw-bone sounding, this offers an adequate idea of the present condition of the ridge. Further, the surrounding teeth can be used as guides for determining the correct positioning of the dental implant, noting, for example, that the implant should be placed at least 2 mm apical to their cementoenamel junction and 1.5 mm from any neighboring dentition.

A study cast is fabricated, upon which measurements are made. This provides a better understanding of the mesial-distal and apico-coronal space available in which to place the implant. Also, a diagnostic wax-up may help to plan the Implant procedure in a manner that positions the Dental Implant to best support the ultimate prosthesis (Crown, Bridge or Denture). A surgical stent is manufactured according to the diagnostic wax-up which will serve as a clinical evaluation tool of implant position during the time of surgery. During the surgery, the underlying bone at the Dental Implant site is evaluated & measured with bone calipers after the flap is opened.

Surgically Guided Implants

In Dental Implant placed with Surgical Guides, CBCT scans & digital intra-oral impressions, both are used to generate a virtual 3D representation of the patient’s jaw and its anatomy. This is then used to develop a digital treatment plan using a 3D Planning software, in which the exact position of the Dental Implant is determined. A Surgical Guide is then fabricated (using a 3D printer) that controls the patient's osteotomy in precise accordance with the planned position for the Dental Implant. The angulation, depth and buccal-lingual & mesial-distal location of the Dental implant are precisely controlled by sleeves that are situated within the designed Surgical Guide.

This approach provides superior level of accuracy making it ideal in situations where there are issues related to bone density & volume and the proximity of inferior alveolar nerve or sinus and neighboring teeth. Surgical Guides also simplify the surgery in cases of narrow ridges or other instances of limited anatomical space.

The only drawback of guided surgery is its higher cost. In addition to the expense of manufacturing the surgical guide itself, the CBCT & intra-oral scanner involved in producing the data needed to design a surgical guide require significant investments.

In cases where higher cost is not an issue for the patient, guided implant placement should be strongly considered.

When there is adequate Bone & tissue, the patient can be provided with both options.