Computer-assisted implant surgery; a flapless surgical/immediate loaded approach with 1 year follow-up

Abstract

Background: It has been suggested that for success with immediate loaded dental implants it is necessary that, prior to their placement, bone quantity and quality as well as the biomechanical environment in which the implants are to function be evaluated. However, conventional techniques currently used for immediate implant placement lack sufficient precision and are usually accomplished by opening flap procedures. The purpose of this paper is to report the benefit of sophisticated pre-operative diagnostic implant planning and a flapless surgical approach with immediate loading. Methods: The report describes the use of computed tomography (CT) for three-dimensional (3D) evaluations of bone implant sites, an interactive software program for 3D planning and the fabrication of stereolithographic models as custom surgical templates. The degree of patient satisfaction was evaluated by periodic recall and by adopting a specially designed analogue scale in each visit. Results: The mean amount of bone loss around the implants was 0.5 ± 0.1 mm and the satisfactoriness scale was rated high (i.e. 81), at the end of 1 year. Conclusion: The use of stereolithographic appliances in accordance with flapless surgery makes immediate placement of the implantsmore predictable. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.