Clinical Pearls for Surgical Implant Dentistry

[Anonymous]

Surgical Templates
They can be constructed numerous ways. A simple method is to design one that engages teeth adjacent to the edentulous area for retention and incorporates only the buccal or lingual contour of the future restoration at the site to receive the implant.15 At this site, the buccal or lingual contours could be widened in acrylic to demarcate the precise buccolingual location of the osteotomy. In addition, a groove should be placed in the acrylic denoting the mesiodistal position of the future implant (Figure 9).

Sterilize Pencils
Sterilize No. 2 pencils and use then to mark the alveolar ridge. It saves a lot of time when initiating an osteotomy. It is also efficient to outline on bone the location of the osteotomy for a lateral window sinus lift. In this regard, drawing the root of the tooth anterior to the lateral window on the bone may provide additional orientation, denoting the mesiodistal position of the future implant.

CLOSING COMMENTS
Numerous studies have provided biologic rationales for procedures associated with implant dentistry. In addition, many techniques, and subsequently their modifications, were developed to enhance implant placement. Some of these ideas have appeared in the literature and others have not been published. This 4-part paper reviews a variety of clinical techniques and facts referred to as “clinical pearls” that can be utilized to improve the planning, insertion, and monitoring of dental implants.