How to Avoid Errors When Using Navigation to Place Implants - A Narrative Review

Robot-assisted surgery for dental implant placement: A narrative review

OBJECTIVE

To determine the current status and accuracy of robotic computer-assisted implant surgery (CAIS) applications by examining the associated clinical and experimental outcomes.

DATA AND SOURCES

PubMed, Medline, and Cochrane Library databases were searched for relevant studies published between January 2000 and November 2023, and focusing on robotic CAIS in dental implant surgery. All search results were then manually reviewed to identify only the pertinent articles. Only in vitro and clinical studies were included in this narrative review, with implant placement accuracy considered the main outcome.

RESULT

Based on our inclusion and exclusion criteria, we included 21 studies (with 1085 implant sites); of them, 8 were clinical studies, 12 were in vitro studies, and 1 included both an in vitro study and a case series. The ranges of the mean implant shoulder, apical, and angular deviations were respectively 0.43-1.04 mm, 0.53-1.06 mm, and 0.77°-3.77° in the clinical studies and 0.23-1.04 mm, 0.24-2.13 mm, and 0.43°-3.78° in the in vitro studies, respectively.

CONCLUSION

The accuracy of robotic CAIS in dental implant procedures appears to be within the clinically acceptable ranges. However, further relevant clinical trials validating the existing evidence are needed.

CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE

Robotic CAIS can achieve clinically acceptable implant placement accuracy. This innovative technology may improve the precision and success rates of dental implant procedures, with benefit for surgeons and patients.

An in vitro analysis of the accuracy of static and robot-assisted implant surgery

OBJECTIVES

Robot-assisted implant surgery (RAIS) is purported to improve the accuracy of implant placement. The objective of this study was to compare RAIS with static computer-assisted implant surgery (sCAIS) in a controlled environment.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A total of n = 102 implants were placed in the same modified typodont (n = 17 repeated simulated implant surgeries with each n = 3 implants per group) using robot-assisted or static computer-assisted implant surgery. The final implant positions were digitized utilizing cone-beam tomography and compared with the planned position. The angular deviation was the primary outcome parameter. 3D deviations at the implant platform level and the apex were secondary outcome parameters. Accuracy in terms of trueness and precision were assessed. Means, standard deviation, and 95%-confidence intervals were analyzed statistically.

RESULTS

The overall angular deviation was 2.66 ± 1.83° for the robotic system and 0.68 ± 0.38° for guided surgery using static guides (p < .001), the 3D-deviation of the implant platform at crest level was for sCAIS 0.79 ± 0.28 mm and RAIS 1.51 ± 0.53 mm (p < .001) and at the apex for sCAIS 0.82 ± 0.26 mm and for RAIS 1.97 ± 0.79 mm (p < .001), respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Robotically guided implant surgery was less accurate in terms of trueness (planned vs. actual position) and precision (deviations among implants) than traditional static computer-assisted implant surgery in this in vitro study.

The Use of Dynamic Navigation Systems as a Component of Digital Dentistry

The development of dynamic navigation system (DNS) has facilitated the development of modern digital medicine. In the field of dentistry, the cutting-edge technology is garnering widespread recognition. Based on the principles of 3-dimensional visualization, virtual design, and precise motion tracking, DNS is mainly composed of a computer, a tracking system, specialized tracer instruments, and navigation software. DNS employs a workflow that begins with preoperative data acquisition and imaging data reconstruction, followed by surgical instrument calibration and spatial registration, culminating in real-time guided operations. Currently, the system has been applied in a broad spectrum of dental procedures, encompassing dental implants, oral and maxillofacial surgery (such as tooth extraction, the treatment of maxillofacial fractures, tumors, and foreign bodies, orthognathic surgery, and temporomandibular joint ankylosis surgery), intraosseous anesthesia, and endodontic treatment (including root canal therapy and endodontic surgery). These applications benefit from its enhancements in direct visualization, treatment precision, efficiency, safety, and procedural adaptability. However, the adoption of DNS is not without substantial upfront costs, required comprehensive training, additional preparatory time, and increased radiation exposure. Despite challenges, the ongoing advancements in DNS are poised to broaden its utility and substantially strengthen digital dentistry.