Analyzing linear and angular deviations after guided surgery for dental implant placement: a preliminary study

PURPOSE: To assess the accuracy and precision of prosthetically driven implant placement achieved through static computer-aided implant surgery by analyzing the linear and angular deviations of implants. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 53 implants were included in the study. The implants were positioned using either tooth-supported templates or tooth-and-tissue-supported templates with fixation pins. Two distinct guided surgery approaches were used: pilot drill guided and fully guided. 3D data from the implant planning phase was superimposed with the 3D data from the final implant positions using the 'Treatment Evaluation' tool within coDiagnostiX implant planning software (Straumann). This enabled the automatic calculation of deviations in implant placement accuracy. RESULTS: The average angular deviation observed was 3.90 degrees. For linear deviations, the mean 3D deviation was 1.04 mm at the most coronal point of the implants and 1.56 mm at the implant apex. CONCLUSIONS: This research demonstrates the feasibility of a digital workflow for guided implant surgery, offering a promising treatment option. Nonetheless, it is important to note that deviations do occur, particularly in the apical region of the implant. Care should be taken, particularly in cases of limited bone availability.