A surgical guide as the name suggests serves as a guide to place implants accurately in 3 dimensions i.e. bucco-lingual, messiah-distal and apiece-coronal.

Here I am showing a simple surgical guide that has been produced from an initial wax up (there are more accurate guides available). It is constructed of hard acrylic and can also has barium sulphate incorporated into it so it can double as a radiographic stent.

With the guide in place, the long axis of the teeth are marked a small pilot hole is made in the centre of the tooth and old implant drills can then be used to enlarge the guide window. A window can also be made in the buccal aspect of the guide to aid vision and insertion of the drills in the mouth.

This can be worn by a pt during a CBCT to confirm the correct angulation and position of the final restoration.

http://www.broadstreetdentalsurgery.com

Andrew Farr