Pre-operative drilling simulation method for dental implant treatment

Area of Science:

• Dental Implantology
• Surgical Planning
• Biomaterials Engineering

Background:

• Dental implant placement planning typically relies on radiographs and study casts.
• Current methods may not guarantee adequate working clearance for precise and safe surgery.
• Insufficient surgical access can compromise initial implant stability and osseointegration.

Purpose of the Study:

• To highlight the necessity of evaluating the operability of implant treatment devices before surgery.
• To determine the required handling space during dental implant placement.
• To introduce pre-operative drilling simulation as a method for assessing surgical accessibility.

Main Methods:

• Measurement of the handling space required for implant placement surgery.
• Fabrication of trial angled heads and probes for pre-surgical drilling simulation.
• Evaluation of intra-oral working space using these fabricated instruments.

Main Results:

• A vertical distance of 50-60 mm was found necessary for implant lengths of 7-18 mm.
• Required handling space varied depending on the implant platform used.
• The developed instruments proved useful in estimating handling space requirements.

Conclusions:

• Pre-operative drilling simulation is essential for individual dental implant cases.
• Evaluating the intra-oral environment for device handling should be part of pre-surgical assessment.
• This approach helps avoid treatment plan modifications due to intra-oral interference during surgery.