Screw-retained surgical guide for implant placement in terminal dentition patients with existing implants

For patients with existing implants in need of additional implant placement, the use of the existing implants for guide fixation seems to be a logical alternative. Current options for the fabrication of surgical guides involve creating surgical guides that are mucosa-borne and/or retained by fixation pins. Since these existing techniques involve inherent inaccuracies, the fabrication of surgical guides that are screw-retained at the implant- or abutment-level would eliminate the introduction of those same fundamental inaccuracies. The purpose of the present technical report is to illustrate a step-by-step digitally planned guided implant placement protocol for terminal dentition patients with salvageable existing implants requiring full-arch implant rehabilitation. The advantages of this protocol include enhancing the accuracy of guided implant placement with screw-retention versus the traditional mucosa- or fixation pin support. Thus, this simplifies the transition from failing teeth to implants by ensuring that fixed provisionalization serves both functional and esthetic requirements. This protocol can also predictably reduce chairside time and adjustments at the surgical implant placement appointment.