CT Scan Guided Surgery involves the use of three dimensional CT imaging to better visualize the patient’s bone without having to surgically expose the area.
Based upon the findings of the CT Scan, a treatment plan of the implant operation is made using specialized computer software on the CT Scan. This information is then transferred to a computer generated surgical template which guides the implant instrumentation exactly to the desired location in such a way that it matches the treatment plan and turns it into reality.
The procedure starts by having the dentist fabricate a radiographic guide which is essentially a set up of the patient’s ideal teeth in acrylic. If the patient’s denture has the teeth in their ideal position, the denture may be used as the radiographic guide. A CT scan of the patient’s bone as well as the radiographic guide are then performed. This CT scan allows for the generation of a three-dimensional model of the jawbone and the proposed teeth that can then be used in virtual reality software to plan the implant placement. Once the implant positions and sizes are determined and planned, the software then generates a special guide from this planning that may be used for 2 purposes: 1) to perform the surgery in a minimally invasive fashion 2) to fabricate the fixed teeth that are placed on the implants right after the surgery
Guided surgery provides a link between the surgeon’s plan and the actual surgery. It also has several important enhancements and advantages over conventional surgeries. First, the patient and the surgeon are better prepared for what they will encounter during the procedure. Complete information about the quality and quantity of the bone makes it possible to determine the ideal location for the implants that enhances the final esthetic outcome, while also avoiding important anatomy in the area. This translates into less complications and surgery time is often decreased. Because many surprises are eliminated by the enhanced treatment planning, treatment costs are also more predictable.
