title: Three-dimensional plotting and printing of an implant drilling guide: simplifying guided implant surgery.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To present an efficient workflow for the production of implant drilling guides using virtual planning tools. For this purpose, laser surface scanning, cone beam computed tomography, computer-aided design and manufacturing, and 3-dimensional (3D) printing were combined.
  
  
  METHODS
  Intraoral optical impressions (iTero, Align Technologies, Santa Clara, CA) and digital 3D radiographs (cone beam computed tomography) were performed at the first consultation of 1 exemplary patient. With image processing techniques, the intraoral surface data, acquired using an intraoral scanner, and radiologic 3D data were fused. The virtual implant planning process (using virtual library teeth) and the in-office production of the implant drilling guide was performed after only 1 clinical consultation of the patient. Implant surgery with a computer-aided design and manufacturing produced implant drilling guide was performed during the second consultation. The production of a scan prosthesis and multiple preoperative consultations of the patient were unnecessary.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The presented procedure offers another step in facilitating the production of drilling guides in dental implantology. Four main advantages are realized with this procedure. First, no additional scan prosthesis is needed. Second, data acquisition can be performed during the first consultation. Third, the virtual planning is directly transferred to the drilling guide without a loss of accuracy. Finally, the treatment cost and time required are reduced with this facilitated production process.
authors.affiliation: Department of Craniomaxillofacial Surgery, Albert-Ludwig University Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany. tabea.viktoria.fluegge@uniklinik-freiburg.de
authors.forename: Tabea Viktoria
authors.initials: TV
authors.lastname: Flügge
authors.forename: Katja
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nelson
authors.forename: Rainer
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Schmelzeisen
authors.forename: Marc Christian
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Metzger
mesh_terms: D003198:Computer Simulation; D017076:Computer-Aided Design; D054893:Cone-Beam Computed Tomography; D003758:Dental Implantation, Endosseous / Q000379:methods*; D061827:Dimensional Measurement Accuracy; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D007834:Lasers; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010347:Patient Care Planning; D011327:Printing / Q000379:methods*; D019252:Radiography, Dental, Digital; D012985:Software Design; D025321:Surgery, Computer-Assisted; D014584:User-Computer Interface