The use of CT scan based planning for oral rehabilitation by means of implants and its transfer to the surgical field: a critical review on accuracy

Abstract

The purpose of the present paper is to review the literature on the use of CT scan based planning for oral rehabilitation and its transfer to the surgical field by means of a surgical guide. The first part will deal with surgical guides based on tomographies or CT scan data often using dedicated software, but manually fabricated. In the second part, CT-derived drill guides are discussed, which are fabricated by means of CAD/CAM technology or other computer-controlled technology. The deviations between the position of the implants at the planning stage and after the surgery are of utmost importance, especially when flapless procedures are applied. The maximal deviations are often not stated in the literature. This should be taken into account when a system is applied clinically.