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Updated: Dec 12, 2025

Real-Time Dynamic Navigation System for the Precise Quad-Zygomatic Implant Placement in a Patient with a Severely Atrophic Maxilla
Published on: October 18, 2021
Clinical and radiographic evaluation of implants placed with fully guided versus partially guided tissue-supported
Mostafa M Elkomy1, Mohamed M Khamis2, Ahlam M El-Sharkawy3
1Postgraduate student, Prosthodontic Department, Faculty of Dentistry, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt.
Statement Of Problem:
The effect of placing implants by using a fully guided protocol versus a partially guided protocol on the peri-implant soft and hard tissues is unclear. C-shaped guide holes are often used; however, their effect on drilling and peri-implant tissues has not been thoroughly investigated.
Purpose:
The purpose of this split-mouth clinical study was to clinically and radiographically evaluate peri-implant soft and hard tissues after implant placement by using fully guided versus partially guided surgical guides with cylindrical versus C-shaped guide holes.
Material And Methods:
Adopting an 80% power of the study in calculating sample size, a total of 48 implants were placed in the mandibular interforaminal area of 12 edentulous participants. Implants were randomly divided into 2 groups: a fully guided group comprising 24 implants placed on 1 side by using a fully guided protocol and a partially guided group comprising 24 implants placed on the other side of the same participant by using a partially guided protocol. Each group was further subdivided into 2 subgroups: cylindrical, including 12 implants placed through cylindrical guide holes, and C-shaped (12 implants) placed through C-shaped guide holes. All participants were clinically evaluated in terms of a modified plaque index, modified gingival index, peri-implant probing depth, and probing attachment level at 2, 4, and 6 months. Implant stability, marginal bone level, and bone density were then evaluated immediately after implant placement at 2, 4, and 6 months.
Results:
No statistically significant differences were found in the plaque index (P=.927), modified gingival index (P=.916), probing depth (P=.832), probing attachment level (P=.096), implant stability (P=.338), bone level (P=.063), or bone density (P=.390) between the fully guided protocol and partially guided protocol.
Conclusions:
The soft and hard tissues surrounding the implants placed by using fully guided surgical guides were clinically comparable with those placed by using partially guided surgical guides whether the guiding holes were cylindrical or C-shaped.

