Teeth are lost for a variety reasons, such as tooth decay, root canal failure, periodontitis (gum disease), trauma to the mouth, excessive wear and tear, and congenital defects. Patients who have lost teeth are often reluctant to smile or talk. Additionally, biting irregularities caused by tooth loss can have a negative effect on eating habits. This can lead to secondary health problems, such as malnutrition.
Regardless of the nature of problems related to tooth loss, dental implants may provide a simple remedy with proven results. Dental implants are prosthetic (i.e., artificial) tooth replacements that are used to counter tooth loss. Dental implants are stronger and more durable than their restorative counterparts (i.e., dentures), and offer a permanent solution to tooth loss. Additionally, implants may be used in conjunction with other restorative procedures for maximum effectiveness. For example, a single implant can serve to support a crown replacing a single missing tooth. Implants can also be used to support a dental bridge for the replacement of multiple missing teeth, and can be used with dentures to increase stability and reduce gum tissue irritation.
Dental implant stents and other devices presently used by surgeons to place dental implants in a patient's mouth do not have features that allow the surgeons to place a dental implant parallel to other implants and/or existing teeth and at precise, predetermined depths within the arch of the mandible or maxilla. A similar drawback occurs with dental implants used as supporting members for the development of a dental prosthesis. When dental implants are not placed parallel to other dental implants, final restoration prostheses are much more difficult to manufacture and the fit and longevity of a final restoration is reduced.
Present surgical dental implant stents also lack features that allow surgeons to place a dental implant at a predetermined depth decided upon by the surgeon or allow a dental lab technician to manufacture a surgical dental implant stent that can be used to fabricate the final dental implant restoration that will be reliably retained in the patient's mouth. When surgeons have no means to accurately form an aperture to place a dental implant at a predetermined depth, the surgeons when making this aperture may pass through the bone of the mandible or maxilla, necessitating the location of a new site as well as restoring the damaged area. This often increases the amount of time required for the patient to heal and recover from the procedure.
Current surgical dental implant stents also lack features that would allow a surgeon to immediately place a final dental implant restoration. In fact, current dental implant stents normally take weeks to complete due to the trial-and-error fabrication process inherent to present systems. There is a need for a way to more accurately position oral implants in a patient's mouth and to reduce the amount of time required to produce and install them.