ABSTRACT Introduction: Virtual implant planning is important before implant surgery for ideal implant size selection and placement. Currently, with technological advancements, there are plethora of virtual implant planning software with DICOM interface (digital imaging and communication in medicine) for the import of CBCT images (cone beam computerized tomographic scan) and with various tools to facilitate linear ridge dimensions. Few available planning software programs are usually associated with high initial cost; however, other programs are available for lesser cost. The literature on accuracy and reliability of these software programs is limited. Hence, our study was done with the aim to compare the reliability of available software systems along with gold standard of ridge mapping using bone caliper. Methodology: CBCT scans of 10 patients with missing single teeth in maxillary anterior region between the age group of 25 and 45 years were recruited for the study. All CBCT scans of patients were assessed for buccopalatal width and mesiodistal width of planned implant site, using three different implant planning software system, i.e., commercially available Nobel clinician, inbuilt NNT viewer, and open source Blue sky Bio and compared with clinical method of ridge mapping using bone caliper. Results: The analysis of results obtained in our study showed no statistically significant difference in the mean values for buccopalatal width at points A and B using three different software programs. However, the values obtained from commercial Nobel clinician software were very much like the mean values obtained with the ridge mapping method. Conclusion: According to our study, measurements obtained from all the three implant planning software system are reliable and can be compared with proven method of clinical ridge assessment using bone caliper.
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