Freehand versus computer-guided implant placement: early implant failures in a case-control study

Area of Science:

• Dental Implantology
• Surgical Guide Technology
• Prosthodontics

Background:

• Tooth-supported surgical guides (TSSG) offer guided implant placement.
• Evaluating the survival rates of implants placed with TSSG is crucial for clinical practice.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the survival of dental implants placed using a hollow tooth-supported computerized surgical guide (TSSG).
• To compare implant survival rates between TSSG and freehand placement techniques.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 94 patients undergoing implant placement between 2015-2020.
• Comparison of early implant failures (within 1-year) between freehand and TSSG groups.
• Assessment of survival rates for S and LP implant types within each surgical technique.

Main Results:

• Freehand placement demonstrated a higher implant survival rate (98.4%) compared to TSSG (93.5%).
• LP implants showed a significantly higher survival rate when placed using the TSSG technique.
• Implant type, not surgical technique, was the primary significant factor influencing survival rates.

Conclusions:

• Surgeons should carefully consider the type of implant used with the TSSG system.
• The choice of implant type may significantly impact survival outcomes when employing guided surgery.
• Further research may be warranted to optimize TSSG protocols based on implant characteristics.