Bead-anchored surgical templates for static computer-assisted implant surgery: A dental technique

Abstract

This technique report describes an alternative method to stabilize surgical templates throughout full-arch static computer-assisted implant surgery (FA s-CAIS). In FA s-CAIS, remaining teeth, mucosa, existing implants, custom occlusal device, bone, or any combination thereof, could be used as an initial positioning mechanism to position surgical templates. Different anchoring mechanisms are then used to stabilize the surgical templates during surgery. In this report, a novel design of surgical templates using remaining dentition and opposing occlusal surfaces as initial positioning mechanism followed by the combination of bone block fixation screw and stainless-steel beads as secondary anchoring mechanisms is described. The advantages, limitations, and comparisons with surgical templates using other anchoring mechanisms are also discussed.