Everything You Need To Know About Computer Guided Dental Implant Surgery
In years gone by if you were considering dental implants in Richmond or anywhere else in the UK it would have been a much more risky affair. Aside from the cost, a lot of the placing of the implant itself was down to experience and dare I say it….educated guess work. Nowadays with the advancements in technology including 3D scanners and X-ray equipment we also have computers that take the guess work out of the correct placement. Welcome to the world of computer guided dental implant surgery!
So how does it work?
In essence computer guided implant surgery is a process that allows the make-up of a surgical guide or template allowing the dental surgeon to place the implants in an exacting and precise manner. The surgical guide is initially produced from a series of 3-D scans which are taken of the patient’s mouth. These scans show not only the present condition of the patient’s mouth but also the exact positions and depths of bones, nerves, and nearby teeth. Once the bespoke template is inserted into the mouth it allows the surgeon to insert the implants at the perfect angle and bone depth while avoiding nearby nerves. This makes the whole surgical process quicker and far less risky.
Are there any drawbacks with computer guided surgery?
One of the first drawbacks that many dentists and patients don’t even think about is that in order to temporarily attach the surgical guide into the patient’s mouth, the patient needs to be able to open their mouth very wide. Sometimes this is difficult to do.
Another drawback is that although 3D guided dental implant surgery is super-accurate it needs to be kept precisely in position. One tiny movement of the template can alter the whole positioning of the implant/s. Therefore it’s vitally important to know exactly how to stabilise the guide.
Despite the possible drawbacks, computer guided implant surgery is without doubt a technological breakthrough in the world of dental implants. In Richmond, here at Sheen Dental we use 3D imaging and advanced software to plan treatments for patients allowing us to ensure absolute accuracy.
If you want to find out more about how computer aided technology can help the safe placement of your implants, or indeed would like to know anything else at all about dental implants and how they can change your life, then visit our website at www.sheendentalimplants.co.uk where we have a wealth of information. Alternatively if you would like to speak to Dr Harmit Kalsi and the team direct, then why not book yourself a free, no-obligation consultation on 020 8876 5277.