The precision of computer-generated surgical splints.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to assess the precision of stereolithographic surgical splints generated by the authors' computer-aided design and manufacturing (CAD/CAM) technique by comparing them with the conventional acrylic splints.


METHODS
Seven volunteers were used. A pair of surgical splints, stereolithographic and conventional acrylic splints, was fabricated for each subject. A novel method was developed to quantify the airspace between the teeth and the splint. Conventional acrylic surgical splints served as a control group. The airspaces were recorded by impression materials and sliced cross-sectionally. Corresponding areas of the cross-sectional airspaces between stereolithographic and acrylic splints were measured and compared. Pearson's correlation coefficient and linear regression tests were performed.


RESULTS
Seven pairs of surgical splints were created. The areas of 98 pairs of cross-sectional airspaces were measured. The average difference between the conventional and the STL splints was 0.24 +/- 0.23 mm(2). The correlation coefficient (r) of the airspace areas between the stereolithographic and conventional acrylic splints was 1.00, and the regression coefficient (beta) was 1.03 (P <.01).


CONCLUSIONS
The results indicated that the stereolithographic splints, generated by the authors' CAD/CAM technique, had a high degree of accuracy. The fit of the STL splints was the same as the conventional surgical splints. In the future, traditional plaster dental model surgery will be replaced by computer-assisted surgical planning. The surgical splints will be made in the computer and the treatment plan will be directly transferred to the patient.
Gateno
Jaime
J
Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University of Texas Cleft and Craniofacial Clinic, The University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
Xia
James
J
Teichgraeber
John F
JF
Rosen
Andrew
A
Hultgren
Bruce
B
Vadnais
Tim
T
D000180:Acrylic Resins; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D017076:Computer-Aided Design; D003760:Dental Impression Materials / Q000737:chemistry; D004867:Equipment Design; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D013165:Splints; D013499:Surface Properties
D000180:Acrylic Resins; D003760:Dental Impression Materials