A significant part of success in implant treatment is determined in the planning done before surgery begins. The position, angle and depth at which the implant will be placed should be decided by evaluating together the bone volume, anatomical structures such as the nerve and sinus, and the ideal position of the tooth that will go on top of it. Digital technologies allow this evaluation to be done in three dimensions and in detail. Implant treatment with digital planning makes it possible to transfer the plan to the mouth by means of surgical guides. As DijiDent Oral and Dental Health Polyclinic, we place the digital workflow at the center of our patients’ implant treatments in Türkiye.
How Is Digital Implant Planning Done?
Three-Dimensional Imaging
A three-dimensional image of the jawbone is obtained with dental tomography. Bone height, width and density, the nerve canal, the sinus and neighboring tooth roots are imaged at a millimetric level.
Intraoral Digital Scanning
A digital model of the teeth and gums is created with an intraoral scanner. This model is combined with the tomography data so that both bone and soft tissues can be seen in the same environment.
Prosthesis-Driven Planning
First, the ideal position and shape of the missing tooth are designed virtually. Then the implant is positioned where it will best support this tooth, within the limits the bone allows. This approach ensures that the implant is planned not only according to the bone, but according to the tooth that will go on top of it, and it supports the aesthetic and functional result.
Production of the Surgical Guide
The planned implant positions are transferred to a custom surgical guide that sits on the teeth, gum or bone. The guide is produced with three-dimensional printing technology and contains sleeves that guide the preparation of the implant socket.
How Is Guided Surgery Performed?
During surgery, the guide is placed in the mouth and the implant socket is prepared at the planned position, angle and depth through the sleeves in the guide. Then the implant is placed. The guide helps apply the plan made in the virtual environment in the mouth.
Is an Implant Possible Without Opening the Gum?
In suitable cases, when there is sufficient bone and attached gingiva, an implant can be placed by opening only a small circular area in the gum. This approach can generally provide less swelling and more comfortable healing. However, it is not suitable for every case; in situations requiring bone augmentation, the gum needs to be opened.
Advantages of Digital Planning
- Protection of anatomical structures: The distance to structures such as the nerve canal and sinus is planned in advance.
- Prosthetic fit: The implant is placed according to the ideal position of the tooth that will go on top of it.
- Less invasive surgery: In suitable cases, working through small entries may be possible.
- Predictability: The need for bone augmentation and the treatment duration can be evaluated more clearly in advance.
- Patient communication: Planning images make it easier to explain the treatment to the patient visually.
- Immediate loading: In suitable cases, temporary teeth can be prepared before surgery.
These advantages become important especially in areas close to anatomical structures or that are aesthetically sensitive.
Limits
Digital planning and guided surgery are valuable tools; however, they do not replace the dentist’s clinical experience and judgment. The guide must seat correctly, mouth opening must be sufficient, and the planning must be based on accurate data. In patients with limited mouth opening, the use of a guide can become difficult, especially in the back regions. Clinical findings encountered during surgery may require changes to the plan. For this reason, digital planning is a method that increases the predictability of treatment but does not guarantee the same result in every situation.
Patient Involvement Through Planning Images
One of the most valuable aspects of digital planning for the patient is being able to see in advance how the treatment will be done. By seeing on the screen where the implants will be placed, their bone structures and the possible need for bone augmentation, patients can ask their questions more clearly. This transparency makes it easier to make treatment decisions together and reduces the anxiety caused by uncertainty.
Digital Planning in Full-Arch Cases
Digital planning is especially useful for patients who are edentulous or who are planned to have all their teeth extracted. The aesthetic position of the teeth, lip support and the bite are designed first; the implants are positioned according to this design. In suitable cases, same-day fixed temporary teeth can be attached with a surgical guide and prefabricated temporary prostheses.
Digital Workflow: From Surgery to the Prosthetic Stage
At DijiDent, the digital workflow is not limited to surgery. After fusion is complete, superstructures are designed and produced with digital impressions taken with an intraoral scanner and CAD/CAM technology. The tooth form designed in the planning stage can also be used as a reference in preparing the permanent superstructure. This holistic approach aims to provide a consistent process from planning to the permanent teeth.
Frequently Asked Questions
It is planning the implant position in a virtual environment, according to the tooth that will go on top of it, using tomography and intraoral scan data.
It is a custom-made guide that transfers the planned implant positions to the mouth.
In suitable cases, an implant can be placed through a small entry; in situations requiring bone augmentation, the gum needs to be opened.
No. It increases predictability; however, success depends on many factors.
Its necessity is evaluated according to the case; it is especially useful in complex cases and in the aesthetic region.
Let us plan your implant together in a virtual environment first.
Contact us to book an appointment to see your digital implant planning and evaluate your treatment options. Let us examine your treatment together in three dimensions at DijiDent Oral and Dental Health Polyclinic.
This content is for general information purposes and does not replace an examination by a dentist. The technology and surgical method to be used are determined by the dentist according to the case.
