Trajectory surgical guide stent for implant placement

This article describes a new implant placement surgical guide that gives both implant location and trajectory to the surgeon. Radiopaque markers are placed on diagnostic dentures and a lateral cephalometric radiograph is made that shows the osseous anatomy at the symphysis and the anterior tooth location. The ideal implant location and trajectory data are transferred to a surgical stent that programs the angle and location of the fixtures at time of surgery. The stent has the additional benefit of acting as an occlusion rim, a mouth prop, and tongue retractor. Use of this stent has resulted in consistently programming the placement of implant fixtures that are prosthodontically ideal.