Impact of Operator Experience on Accuracy and Procedure Time in Dynamic Navigation, Static-Guided, Freehand Implant...

Area of Science:

• Dental Implantology
• Surgical Navigation Systems
• Medical Device Technology

Background:

• Novice surgeons face challenges in dental implant surgery accuracy.
• Computer-assisted implant surgery (CAIS) offers potential solutions.
• Comparing freehand, static CAIS, and dynamic CAIS is crucial for optimizing outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the accuracy and time efficiency of freehand, static CAIS, and dynamic CAIS for dental implant placement.
• To evaluate the impact of surgeon experience on implant accuracy across different methods.
• To assess deviations in angular and spatial accuracy in vitro.

Main Methods:

• 192 implants placed in polyurethane mandibular models by 16 participants (novice/experienced).
• Procedures included freehand, static CAIS (sCAIS), and dynamic CAIS (dCAIS) after CBCT virtual planning.
• Postoperative scans compared to planning data for angular and spatial deviations.

Main Results:

• Implant placement methodology significantly influenced angular and spatial deviations (P < .05).
• Static CAIS (group B) showed the lowest mean angular deviation (3.12° ±1.49°).
• Surgeon experience significantly impacted angular deviation (P < .001) and bucco-oral tip deviation (P = .04); novices required more time.

Conclusions:

• Both static and dynamic CAIS significantly improve dental implant placement accuracy compared to freehand techniques.
• CAIS methods are particularly beneficial for novice surgeons.
• Surgical navigation systems enhance precision in implant dentistry.