Accuracy of template-based dental implant placement.
OBJECTIVE
The accuracy of a system for image-guided dental implant planning and placement based on individually fabricated oral templates was investigated in a phantom study.


METHODS
The study was performed on identical phantoms of a partially edentulous mandible. In one phantom mandible (the master model), pilot boreholes for dental implants were placed. Computerized tomography image data were then acquired. Using a system for template-based dental implant placement, identical boreholes were planned on the image data and then reproduced in the 10 remaining phantom mandibles (the "slave" models). The resulting positions were compared to the positions in the master model using a three-dimensional digitizer arm.


RESULTS
The mean deviation of borehole apex positions in the slave phantoms, as compared to the master phantom, was 0.50+/-0.04 mm and was below 1 mm in 29 of 30 models. The accuracy was highly reproducible, irrespective of the template used and the surgeon involved.


CONCLUSIONS
The use of templates for image-guided insertion of dental implants is a method with high and reproducible accuracy.
Eggers
Georg
G
Department of Oral and Cranio-Maxillofacial Surgery, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany. georg.eggers@med.uni-heidelberg.de
Patellis
Evangelos
E
Mühling
Joachim
J
D003758:Dental Implantation, Endosseous / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D007576:Jaw, Edentulous, Partially / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D008334:Mandible / Q000601:surgery; D008953:Models, Anatomic; D003765:Models, Dental; D019047:Phantoms, Imaging; D011859:Radiography; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D025321:Surgery, Computer-Assisted; D014584:User-Computer Interface