Implant placement in the aesthetic zone: More efficiency in guided surgery

Abstract

The aim of this case report is to describe the combining of a surgical guide with a temporary restoration to streamline the implant process. A 54-year-old male patient presenting partial edentulism underwent computer-aided template-guided implant placement for the replacement of the missing upper second right incisor. The presented technique was used during the surgical procedures; it introduced the integration of a surgical guide into the temporary fixed partial denture. Using computer-aided design, computer-aided manufacturing technology and virtual implant planning, a temporary-implantation fixed partial denture was constructed, and a guidance sleeve was implemented into it. The implant bed preparation was then performed using the bridge as a surgical guide. After osteotomy, the guidance sleeve within the bridge was sealed, and the bridge was temporarily incorporated for submerged healing of the implant. The usage of a temporary restoration as a surgical guide seems to make the digital workflow of guided implant placement more efficient, by achieving a representative clinical outcome.