What’s the Difference Between Freehand and Guided Dental Implant Surgery?

May 16, 2024

Filed under: Uncategorized — oceanoaks @ 12:50 am
Dentists performing surgery

Dental implants are a preferred tooth replacement option by patients and dentists alike thanks to their ability to replace the entirety of missing teeth, including the root and the crown. Thanks to developments in modern dental technology and techniques, dental implants are more successful than ever before! Today, guided dental implant surgery is used for the most accurate results. Continue reading to learn more about how guided dental implant surgery works and its benefits.

What Is Guided Dental Implant Surgery?

Guided dental implant surgery is an advanced step up from the traditional way of performing dental implant placement. Before, dentists would perform “freehand” dental implant placement after closely examining X-rays and other images taken of patients’ mouths. Guided dental implant surgery is a relatively new technique. After using a CBCT machine to get an in-depth look at the patient’s mouth, a surgical guide is made. This guide is used during the procedure to ensure that the dental implants are being placed at accurate, precise locations for optimal success.

How Does the Technology Work?

The first part of the process is the dentist taking a CT scan. This essentially combines hundreds of individual X-ray images to give them a full 3D cross-section of the mouth. This process is completely painless and is designed to use low levels of radiation – just like a standard dental X-ray. Instead of using an uncomfortable mold to take impressions of the mouth, an intraoral wand is used to take digital impressions in a small fraction of the time.

Using your digital impressions and CT scan, the dentist calculates the exact position in which the dental implants need to be placed. This way, a template can be made to work with the guided computer technology.

Lastly, the restoration is precisely placed into the mouth using advanced guided surgical technology to ensure a secure, long-lasting tooth replacement. Once the dental implants are placed, the guided surgery process is complete!

What Are the Benefits of Guided Dental Implant Surgery?

There are a wide range of benefits of using guided dental implant surgery. Here are some of the most prominent ones:

  • Fewer Complications: Dentists have a full 3D model of the bones, nerves, and other oral structures.
  • Less Invasive: Incisions and sutures are only partially necessary during guided surgery.
  • Quicker Recovery: Patients can enjoy a faster, more comfortable recovery period.

Dental implants have an incredible success rate of over 95%, and now patients can benefit from even more accuracy! If you are interested in replacing your missing teeth with dental implants, guided dental implant surgery may be the route to take.

About the Practice

At Ocean Oaks Dental Group of Vero Beach, we have a team of three skilled dentists serving the Vero Beach community. With their combined experience and expertise, patients can get pretty much anything they need under one roof. This includes guided dental implant surgery and restorations from our in-house dental laboratory. To learn more about dental implants or to schedule a consultation, visit our website or call (772) 569-4424.