Office-Based Virtual Surgical Planning for Dental Implant Surgery

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine the accuracy of office-based virtual surgical planning for dental implant surgery using tooth-supported surgical guides. Secondary outcomes included determining risk factors potentially affecting accuracy, as well as a time and cost analysis. A total of 81 implants were placed in 46 patients. Implants were placed either pilot guided (n=42), partially guided (n=28) or fully guided (n=11). The accuracy of implant placement was clinically acceptable and comparable to that of outsourced planning. The only modifiable risk factor affecting accuracy was guide type. Implants in the anterior zone demonstrated less angle deviation. Variables that did not affect accuracy included age, sex, number of days since first patient, implant length, history of bone grafting, surgeon, number of obviously restored teeth, adjacent crowns and dental arch treated. This approach is cost effective and requires approximately 48 minutes of active attention to fabricate a single surgical guide.