By Eliezer Ganon Think Tank, Futurist & Publisher
Are your patients shy to smile because of missing or decayed teeth, self-assurance undermined? Dental Implants, effective and easy, are the advancement you have been waiting for.
Implantation, the optimal aesthetic and functional restoration of your teeth has been available for many years, but not as convenient and accessible as at this moment.
Today's image-guided surgery technology has brought you this progress:
- Patient Education - Patients can now preview and understand the entire process, visually and 3 dimensionally.
- Patients are assured that complications in optimal placements of implants are eliminated.
Clinicians, increase your financial gains with IGI. This system helps you to overcome many of the limitations of traditional surgery. IGI extends your ability to plan and carry out surgical interventions more accurately and less invasively. Gone is the fear of damaging a critical structure or misplacing the implant. IGI will guide your eyes and steady your hands.
DenX's Dentists, Implant Navigation solutions provides 3-D imaging, planning and navigation solutions. All experienced as well as beginner clinicians, can perform implant surgery with increased confidence and precision. With IGI, the dental clinician can be assured of a comprehensive navigational solution where:
- pre-surgical planning matches the surgical performance
- critical structures are accurately defined and avoided
- the implant is precisely placed and
- on-line treatment, follow up and data storage are provided.
IGI is the first Image Guided Surgery system in dentistry, aimed at experienced Implant practitioners and novice dentists alike.
IGI is an interactive and extremely easy to operate dual processor workstation. Careful ergonomic design ensures that the system fits easily into any dental office. IGI is composed of a high powered computerized workstation, an extremely accurate motion tracking system, high resolution imaging data and precise localization devices.
First, a virtual implant is placed on the CT image with the assistance of IGI's advanced planning tools. During the surgical procedure, the clinician is navigating the implant to the precise location, angle and depth required according to the plan. Real-time localization feedback assisted by audio and visual media allows the clinician to monitor the success of the procedure and avoid critical mistakes at all times.
The clinician is able to achieve the highest level of accuracy and certainty possible when performing implant surgery, by superimposing the virtual and actual images. Minimal invasive surgery is performed with enhanced assurance and efficiency.
IGI's Leading Features:
- Distortion corrected CT data (1:1).
- Assessment of bone density.
- Delineation of critical structures.
- Parallel alignment of multiple implants.
- Intra-operative navigation tools.
- Error prevention alerts during surgery.
- High accuracy motion tracking system.
- An online comparison between planning and performance is achieved. Sophisticated optical devices placed on the handpiece and attached to the patients jaw track the process of operation and display it in real time.
IGI Assures Successful Results.
The use of the system is best described in 7 stages:
1. Time Saving On-line Patient Data Acquisition
CT scanning results are stored digitally and are loaded onto IGI. Your PC automatically processes the data, constructs a 3D model of the jawbone and displays it together with cross-sections and panoramic views (with 1:1 corrected image distortion). These enhanced images serve as a basis for the implant placement planning.
2. Precise Planning for Perfect Performance
The patient specific CT data is used to exchange information among the professionals involved in the procedure, both within and between dental offices, thus ensuring that an optimal functional and aesthetic treatment plan is achieved. Critical anatomical structures such as the inferior alveolar nerve, the maxillary antrum, the nasal cavity and adjacent teeth are defined and mapped out so that they can be avoided during the operation. Bone density is assessed to determine the optimal location of osseointegration.
A Virtual Implant is chosen from a range of implant options varying in lengths, diameters and manufacturer options. The Virtual Implant is then placed in the optimal position according to the critical information defined by IGI: inter-maxillary relations, designated critical structures, and the 3D and cross-sectional views.
In partial or completely edentulous cases, IGI ensures that the implants are placed parallel to each other according to the required prosthetic configuration, thereby guaranteeing optimal post-operative rehabilitation.
3. Improved Patient education of procedure and result.
The patient is informed of the objectives and outcomes of the treatment following the planning stage. This educational process, using state of the art technology, results in greater comprehension by the patient, who is consequently less anxious and more cooperative.
4. Perfect Correlation between pre-operative planning and surgical performance.
Upon the patient's arrival, the image processed CT data is synchronized with the patient's jaw. This ensures that the plan is carried out swiftly and precisely. The patient's head may be mobile during treatment since the sensors attached to the patient's jaw track and upgrade all movement.
5. High Precision Surgical Navigation.
Once the optimal location for implant placement has been determined, the bur tip is positioned accordingly. When surgical treatment begins, a real-time display of the insertion route is available in all views and at all times.
On-line feedback includes Location, Angulation and Depth guidance. Once the desired bur position is achieved, a perfect correlation between planning and performance is indicated by a change of color and sound.
The successful implant placement is a direct result of IGI's enhanced planning and real-time Image Guidance.
6. Avoidance of damage to Critical Anatomic Structures.
Deviation from pre-operative planning during the procedure will be reported by visual and audio warnings. In the case of high-risk variance, such as impending danger to the mandibular nerve canal, possible perforation of the cortical plates or damage to adjacent teeth, the system will automatically halt the work in progress.
7. Intra and Post Operative Web based e-learning and consultation.
A detailed report that summarizes the entire procedure and its results can be printed out at the end of the surgical procedure. The system also records the implant data for future reference and for web-based consultation, education and conferencing.