Real-time navigation system in implant dentistry

Abstract

For patients treated with conventional dental implants, computer-assisted implant surgery includes a dynamic navigation system and digital surgical guide plate, both of which can achieve satisfactory accuracy. With the continuous improvement of medical devices, the application of the dynamic navigation system in the field of dental implant is widely increasing. The ideal implant position can be planned through the dynamic navigation system software, and the system can accurately transfer the preoperative design to the operation under operator guidance. This feature is especially important for aesthetic areas of anterior teeth and cases with complex anatomical conditions in the operation area. For patients who suffer from severe maxillary atrophy, this system has also been gradually used in zygomatic implant surgery and represents a reliable and promising approach for the rehabilitation of oral function. This chapter aims to describe the background of the real-time navigation system in both conventional implant and zygomatic implant surgery and briefly introduce the workflow along with the advantages and limitations of the system in clinical applications. Finally, future development of navigation systems will also be discussed.