Fabrication of imaging and surgical guides for dental implants.

Research and experience have suggested that the success of dental implants depends on a well-developed and careful treatment plan approach. Historically, implant size and angulation were determined with the use of panoramic radiographs and clinical judgment during surgery. This occasionally resulted in mechanical and esthetic compromise. This article describes the step-by-step fabrication process for 4 different imaging and surgical guides. Set-up disks, which enhance the design and fabrication of guides, also are introduced. These guides are used in conjunction with cross-sectional tomography during the preimplant assessment of surgical sites.