Accuracy of Dental Implants inserted by Stereolithographic surgical guide using Partial versus Complete limiting designs in the posterior mandible: A Split Mouth Study

Abstract

In our study accuracy of dental implants placed using partial limiting designs were compared to completely limiting designs of stereolithographic surgical guides. Fourteen implants were placed in three patients, two males and one female. The study design was split mouth where the right side was the control side (partial limiting design) and left side was the study side (completely limiting design). In the control side only the drilling was through the stereolithographic guide sleeves (universal sleeves), where in the study side both the drilling and implant placement was through the specific sleeves in the stereolithographic guide. The aim of this study is to assess the radiographic accuracy of implants inserted by stereolithographic surgical guides using partially versus completely limiting designs in the posterior mandible. Once the implants were placed, immediate postoperative CBCT was obtained and the actual implant position was superimposed over the virtual planned implant sites. The deviation between both was measured as angular deviation between the long axis of both virtual and actual implants. Linear deviation was also measured coronally and apically in three-dimensions as Dx, Dy and Dz. The mean angular deviation of the completely limiting design was 2.86° while the mean angular deviation for the partially limiting design was 4.26°