Three-Dimensional Navigation in Implant Dentistry

In implant dentistry today, precise preoperative planning of both the implant placement and the restoration is a critical prerequisite to succeeding in the oral rehabilitation of patients with dental implants. Modern three-dimensional imaging techniques such as digital volume tomography allow the acquisition of radiologic data with very low levels of radiation and excellent image accuracy, and also allow the processing of these data with various types of software applications. Formerly, only the position of the implant collar or the axis of the osteotomy could be transferred into the clinical setting; it is now possible to predetermine the precise three-dimensional position of the planned implant before the actual implant insertion, and to transfer this position to the surgical site. Thus, the restoration can be fabricated before surgery and can be placed into the patient's mouth immediately after surgery. Treatment planned in this way is fast, minimally invasive, and most importantly, predictable. This increases the quality of both the surgical procedure and the restoration. For three-dimensional navigation in implant dentistry there are static systems based on both surgical guides and optical, dynamic navigation systems. This article is an overview of the latest systems for guided implant insertion and their fields of application.