title: Digitally designed surgical guides for placing implants in the nasal floor of dentate patients: a series of three cases.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Insight into the bone volume and position of natural teeth is essential when placing implants to retain nasal prostheses. This paper describes a series of three cases in which a new method was applied for implant placement in the nasal floor of dentate patients using digital planning techniques.
  
  
  METHODS
  With the aid of computer software, digital planning of implants in the nasal floor based on cone beam computed tomography was performed. Next, surgical guides for implant placement were digitally designed and fabricated using rapid prototyping.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In all three patients, implants could be placed and nasal prostheses could be manufactured as planned. All anterior teeth remained vital. Analysis of planning and post-implant placement cone beam computed tomography scans revealed high accuracy of implant placement.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The applied method allows for reliable implant placement in close proximity to the preoperatively planned implant position.
authors.affiliation: Department of Prosthodontics, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: W Joerd
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Van der Meer
authors.forename: Gerry M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Raghoebar
authors.forename: Peter O
authors.initials: PO
authors.lastname: Gerrits
authors.forename: Willem D
authors.initials: WD
authors.lastname: Noorda
authors.forename: Arian
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vissink
authors.forename: Anita
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Visser
mesh_terms: D017076:Computer-Aided Design; D054893:Cone-Beam Computed Tomography; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D008297:Male; D008953:Models, Anatomic; D009296:Nasal Cavity / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D009666:Nose; D010347:Patient Care Planning; D019736:Prostheses and Implants; D019919:Prosthesis Implantation / Q000379:methods*; D025321:Surgery, Computer-Assisted