Computer Guided Surgery

The data generated from the CT scan can be harnessed to help treatment plan and guide the surgical procedure, thereby increasing the accuracy and decreasing the invasiveness of the treatment.

Patient specific Stereo Lithographic Anatomic (SLA) models are generated from acrylic using information derived from the CT via a Computer Assisted Design/Computer Automated (CADCAM) technology known as Rapid Prototyping. RP is utilized in many products used in everyday life. For the oral and maxillofacial reconstructive surgeon, SLA models of the jaws and facial bones are used to analyze and plan complex reconstruction and replacement of bone and joint.

 

SLA models are valuable in the planning for correction of facial asymmetries and tumor resection:

 

Patients requiring TMJ replacement have Patient Specific Prosthesis designed and manufactured from the same process:

 

Computer Guided Surgery technology can also be used to plan for Orthognathic (Jaw Repositioning) surgery:

 

Computer Guided Surgery and Dental Implants

 

Data from a CT scan, whether it be medical or cone beam, can be formatted by special software to accurately plan and implement dental implant placement.

Once the CT data is acquired, it is sent to a master site, where a technician reformats the data for the implant team (surgeon, restorative dentist) to view.

Computer designed surgical guide

Once the implants are placed virtually in the software, the data is then uploaded to the rapid prototyping facility where a patient specific anatomic surgical guide is fabricated.

Anatomic model of upper jaw, bone reduction guide and implant placement guide

If bone recontouring is required, the software also designs a bone reduction guide to provide guidance, and accurately coordinates with the implant placement guide.

These guides differ from standard surgical templates in that they provide 3 dimensional placement of the implant (location, angulation, and depth control). The guides also allow for implant placement directly through the guide. This allows for minimally invasive surgery. The technology has been perfected to allow presurgical manufacture of an implant supported bridge that can be placed on the same day as implant placement (�teeth in a day�). These techniques can be utilized for all patients requiring bone grafting and tooth replacement:

• Single tooth
• Multiple teeth
• Completely edentulous

Placement of a custom surgical guide for "flapless" surgery

 

Our practice has experience with placing hundreds of implants using the precision of computer surgical guides.

Along with offering every surgical patient a Cone Beam CT scan, we have the capabilities to convert CT data from ANY scanner to this usable format.

The advantages of the implant placement using the Scan to Plan Process with Computer Guided Surgery are many, including:

• Shortens surgical time
• Improves accuracy
• Minimally invasive
• Reduces complications

Dr. Sultan is at the forefront of this technology and has not only lectured on the subject, but has developed innovative techniques to streamline specific, complex cases.
Please refer to the Scan to Plan Presentation to learn more about how Computer Guided Surgery can facilitate your treatment!