Dental Implant Surgery: From Conventional to Guided to Navigated Approach

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to review the evolution of dental implant surgery from a traditional approach to a computer-aided one. Implant surgery using CAD/CAM surgical templates has become widely used, and now, a new technology, dynamic navigation, is gaining popularity. We aim to review both technologies as well as their advantages and disadvantages. The latest reviews of the accuracy of static navigation show 1.4 mm apical horizontal, 1.1 mm coronal horizontal, 0.74 mm vertical, and 3.98° angular deviations. Dynamic navigation is reported to have 0.4 mm horizontal/vertical and 4° angular deviations. While deviations do exist with these techniques, the accuracy and predictability still greatly surpass that of free-hand surgery. Dentistry has now moved into a digital era and so has implant surgery. Computer-aided implant planning and surgery has become common practice for many surgeons. Static and dynamic navigation has taken implant surgery to a new level of predictability and precision.