The University of Kentucky College of Dentistry strives for the continual integration of leading edge digital technology, including in its DMD Student Clinic. Such a commitment is the reason why UKCD student dentist Hanjun Guan was able to place two dental implants for a patient using a guided surgery technique. The procedure is Guan's first step in placing an implant-retained overdenture. 

As implants become an increasingly popular method of tooth replacement, many practices are turning to guided implant surgery over traditional freehand placement. Guided surgery, which is based on virtual planning from a 3-D radiograph of the patient's jaw, often provides a more accurate and detailed look at the patient's anatomy. This, according to Guan, is reason enough for all dentists — generalists and specialists — to work with surgical guides. Going forward, all fourth-year UKCD students will be able to use this technique to place implants in suitable patients. 

"This should be the standard of care for missing teeth whenever possible," Guan said. "Before, we had to have specialty training or attend an expensive CE course. . .having the opportunity to learn [this technique] in school is awesome!" 

Guan was able to complete the procedure under the supervision of Dr. Steven Tucker. The six-step protocol begins with a patient consultation to develop a custom treatment plan. Next, a scan prosthesis, which duplicates the patient's current teeth setup, is generated to visualize the soft tissue situation and supply additional information for implant planning. The third step involves the patient undergoing a cone beam CT scan which produces a highly detailed image of the lower jaw. Then, the implant is designed using digital planning software. This completed case plan is then used to produce the necessary 3-D printed surgical guides. Finally, the surgical guide was affixed to the patient's mouth and the implant procedure was carried out. 

The digital technology used to carry out guided implant surgery provides numerous benefits to both dentists and patients. CBCT scans and 3-D imaging allow for a more detailed look at the jaw bone and surrounding nerves and tissue. This decreases the risk for nerve damage by increasing the accuracy of implant positioning. Overall, these digital means also make it feasible to carry out the surgery exactly as planned on the computer, a feat not possible when planning with a conventional panoramic x-ray.