EVALUATION OF STEREOLITHOGRAPHIC SURGICAL GUIDE IN INDIRECT SINUS LIFTING FOR IMPLANT PLACEMENT

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Due to the inherent characteristics of the posterior maxillary bone, oral rehabilitation with implants may present some difficulties related to poor quality and insufficient volume of bone due to sinus pneumatization. Maxillary sinus augmentation procedure is currently considered a highly predictable and safe technique that allows the insertion of implants into the atrophic posterior maxilla. The use of CAD-CAM stereolithographic surgical guide during sinus-lift procedure has been advocated for many years. OBJECTIVES: This study was designed to evaluate the accuracy of stereolithographic surgical stent in transcrestal sinus lifting for implant placement. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of fifteen implants were placed in 6 patients. They were selected to perform transcrestal sinus lifting with simultaneous implant placement using stereolithographic surgical stent. RESULTS: Merging the preoperative plan and immediate postoperative CBCT images showed statistically significant values of the accuracy. The mean difference of angulation of the inserted implants compared to the angulation projected by the stereolithographic stent was 7.03° ± 4.53°. The mean of total coronal differences was 1.56 mm ± 1.15 mm, while the mean of total apical differences was 1.75 ± 1.14 mm. CONCLUSIONS: For beginners, stereolithographic surgical stent is an acceptable tool for transcrestal sinus lifting with simultaneous implant placement especially for single implants.