Global research interest and publication trends on guided surgery in implant dentistry: A metrics-based analysis

Digital surgical guides improve precision by detailing the direction, position, and angle of implants, which reduces surgery time and complications. A bibliometric analysis of guided surgery in implant dentistry is lacking.

The aim of this metrics-based analysis was to analyze the trends and key characteristics of articles related to guided surgery in implant dentistry.

The search was conducted in February 2024 on the Web of Science. The main characteristics of the studies were extracted and analyzed. Collaborative networks were generated using the Vosviewer software program. Dimension was consulted to measure Altmetric data. Correlation among data was determined by using the Spearman test.

A total of 799 articles published between 1993 and 2023 were included. Most were case reports or series (n=26) using static guided surgery (n=672), primarily for dental implant placement (n=754). The studies typically employed a combination of cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) and digital scanning (n=316) for surgical planning. The most frequently used software program was coDiagnostiX (n=89), and the most commonly used guide type was the printed guide (n=161). The country with the most articles was the USA (n=137), though Europe stood out as the leading continent (n=398). The Vosviewer demonstrated strong collaborations among authors. According to Dimensions, significant mentions were identified in Mendeley, news outlets, and X.

An emerging trend in guided implant dentistry research was identified over the past 30 years through the use of software programs and 3D printers for the fabrication of surgical guides. Europe showed the greatest interest in this topic, predominantly conducting research on static guided surgery for implant placement. Additional clinical studies and systematic reviews are needed.