A Real-Time Inertial Sensor-Based Diagnostic Support System for Improving Angular Accuracy in Dental Implant...

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Surgical Simulation
• Medical Device Development

Background:

• Accurate 3D dental implant positioning is vital for long-term success.
• Existing computer-assisted navigation systems are precise but costly and complex.
• There is a need for accessible tools to improve angular accuracy in implant placement.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a low-cost prototype for enhancing angular accuracy in dental implant placement.
• To assess the prototype's performance within a 3D haptic simulation environment.

Main Methods:

• A 3D haptic simulator was used for preclinical experimental validation.
• The prototype integrated high-precision inertial measurement units (IMUs) and an Extended Kalman Filter (EKF) for real-time angular feedback.
• Ninety-seven simulated implant placements were compared: freehand versus prototype-assisted, analyzing angular deviations in mesiodistal and buccolingual planes.

Main Results:

• The prototype significantly reduced angular deviation by 77.8% (mesiodistal) and 58.8% (buccolingual), achieving a 67% overall 3D orientation improvement (p < 0.001).
• Excellent agreement was found with an optical reference system (bias = +0.36°, RMSE = 0.39°).
• High intra-operator reliability (ICC > 0.95) confirmed reproducibility and measurement stability.

Conclusions:

• The inertial sensor-based prototype offers accuracy comparable to computer-guided systems with enhanced portability, low cost, and usability.
• Integration into haptic simulators provides a valuable tool for surgical education and preclinical training, improving spatial perception and psychomotor skills.
• Further clinical studies are recommended to validate performance in cadaveric and patient contexts for assessing practical impact on surgical precision.