Original computer aided support system for safe and accurate implant placement—Collaboration with an university originated venture company

SummaryAn original implant surgery support system with computer simulation to determine the position of implant placement and fabrication of a surgical guide that helps in bone drilling was developed by collaboration of Osaka University Faculty of Dentistry and Dental Prostheses Fabrication Company. A virtual reality haptic device that gives the sense of touch was used for simulation and a surgical template was fabricated by CAD/CAM method. A patented technology enabled to remove artifact due to metallic prostheses by replacing the damaged teeth of CT image by precise 3D measured image of dental cast. Surgical guide was designed using haptic device and fabricated including bone model by a computer-aided rapid prototyping modeling machine with a UV-cured acrylic-based resin material.Two clinical cases with implant placement on the three lower molars by flap operation using bone supported surgical guide and flapless operation with teeth supported surgical guide and immediate loading with provisional prostheses prepared beforehand are introduced. The present simulation and drilling support using the surgical guide may help to perform safe and accurate implant surgery