Guided implant placement in the edentulous mandible: A novel approach

One of the most important and challenging aspects of implant dentistry is the correct planning and placement of the dental implant so as to achieve a prosthetically, aesthetically, and biologically stable outcome. It is also important to prevent encroachment on vital structures. To aid in the correct placement of dental implants, a variety of surgical guides have been proposed. If a fully limiting surgical guide is used, the encoded information should be reliable, as deviations are not possible during surgery. This article describes an acrylic resin implant placement guide, which is based on bone mapping of the edentulous ridge at the implant site.