In our practice, each day presents fresh challenges. One example of a challenging case was a new patient who presented to our office with bilateral edentulous spans on his mandibular arch (Figure 1). The treatment plan was to place four implants (sites Nos. 19, 20, 28, and 30) and restore with a removable partial denture with the possibility of conversion to fixed prostheses in the future.
A pre-operative CT scan was taken to evaluate the bone quality in these sites. The scan revealed that two of the desired implant sites, Nos. 20 and 28, would need compromised implant length and positioning in a “brain-guided” surgery due to their proximity to the mental foramen.
Because of these difficult sites, we decided to plan and place the implants using Genicore’s TAG Guided Surgery System. With this guided system, the implants could be planned with much more ideal positioning because we knew the guided implant placement would be precise (Figure 2).
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Figure 2. Preparation of the osteotomy using the TAG drill sequence. The surgical guide is held in place by fixation pins in the posterior implant sites. |
Figure 3. Implant placement is complete and healing caps are in place. |
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| Figure 4. Post-operative CT scan reveals implants have been placed in ideal locations and avoid all vital structures, including the mental foramen |
The surgery was fast and accurate, and it did not require any laid surgical flaps. A post-operative CT scan revealed the implants stood in the exact locations they had been planned for in the pre-operative plan.
The photo taken day-of surgery reveals an atraumatic procedure, especially compared to flaps laid during a “brain-guided” case. The implants took much less time to place because we did not need to pause to evaluate their positioning or take check films mid-surgery (Figure 3).
The TAG Guided Surgery System is a “keyless” system that is simple to use and understand. Unlike other systems, you don’t need to place inserts inside the guide sleeve to accommodate each different drill diameter. Also, the system accounts for the density of the bone when planning the implant positioning.
Placing implants every day can be challenging at times (Figure 4). As a practice that performs both complex implant placements and routine implant surgeries, having an easy-to-use system in our practice has a high value and is perfect for everyday use.
Dr. Bylis practices at Innovative Dental Design by Dr. Paul Bylis. A 2017 graduate of the University of Maryland School of Dentistry, she can be reached at dr.e.bylis@bylisdental.com or at (410) 969-2177. For more information on Tag Implants and Tag Guided Surgery Systems, call Genicore Tag at (877) 291-5677, e-mail info@genicore.com, or visit genicore.com. Article prepared and provided by Sure Business Logic.
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