While technology is advancing at a very rapid rate, that is especially true in the dentistry field. It seems like there is a new technology or a new product that hits the market every single week. One form of technology that has resulted in many benefits for the industry involves dental implant surgical guides. These guides are the latest advancement in the dental world and they have revolutionized surgical processes beyond just dentistry.
A surgical guide helps dentists place dental implants properly and in the right locations. These guides are developed by imaging software that creates a remapped plan, which aims to create a seamless dental implant process. In order to create a surgical guide, impressions are taken at the desired surgical impact site, including 3D images. These impressions and imaging are then transferred to special software that develops the guide device. These devices — which look like a clear retainer — are then placed over the patient’s teeth and the dentist can easily find the area where the implant should be placed.
Since dental implants have been a thing, it has been very difficult for dentists to place dental implants in the proper locations. Given the awkward angles and inability to see clearly, placing dental implants has been difficult for many dental professionals. And given these difficulties, many implants have been placed improperly, which can lead to many oral health complications and millions of dollars spent on insurance claims. Given this growing problem, something needed to be done. That’s where surgical guides came in to save the day.
While dental implants have always been a challenge for dentists everywhere, surgical guides have changed the game forever. Today, these guides provide many benefits for both the patient and the dentist office performing the procedure. Keep reading to learn about the key benefits of surgical guides and how they have revolutionized cosmetic dentistry as we know it.
Since dental implants were first established, dentists have struggled with placing these implants correctly. While those difficulties could have resulted from the lack of skill by the dentist, it was mostly due to the fact that these implant sites are extremely difficult to see. Once surgical guides were introduced, this resulted in far fewer cases of improper placement for these dental implants. These guides give dentistry professionals reassurance that these implants are placed in the correct locations.
Dental implant surgery used to be a lengthy process, but things have really sped up thanks to surgical guides. Instead of dentists using traditional methods to locate implant sites, they now simply place the guide over the teeth and go to work. These guides allow dentists to know exactly where the implant needs to go, which results in a lightning-fast dental surgery.
Standard dental implant procedures typically meant that the dentistry professional would have to place the implant by hand with nothing guiding their way. But even if this free-hand method worked initially, there could still be problems later on. And although this process worked for years, there was a lot of uncertainty and fear floating around this cosmetic dentistry procedure. When surgical guides hit the market, that stress and uncertainty were thrown out the window. Today, dentists — and their patients — now have peace of mind that these implants are placed in the precise location.
From dental implant surgery to root canal treatment and periodontal therapy, Cedar Walk Dentistry is here to provide a wide variety of top-notch dental services. Located in South Charlotte, North Carolina, our professional dentists and exceptional team are here to make you look great and feel great.