Oral prosthetic-surgical rehabilitation using guided surgery in the posterior region of the mandible with bone atresia

Abstract

The placement of dental implants in the posterior mandibular alveolar ridges can become a challenging procedure in case of severe bone atresia, where the bone height is limited between the crest and the lower alveolar canal. The aim of this case study was to introduce an innovative, less invasive, highly accurate and easy surgical technique for lateralization of the lower alveolar nerve in the mandible using a special printed three-dimensional surgical guide for the placement of the implant. This report is about a patient with edentulous mandibular alveolar crests in elements 36 and 37. Customized surgical guides were manufactured using modeling technology to precisely position a rectangular window, discover the canal and subsequently place dental implants. It was concluded that it was possible to perform procedures in regions with a restricted amount of bone and important anatomical accidents, achieving a satisfactory degree of predictability, and success in treatment, in addition to allowing minimally invasive surgical access and with significantly safer and more comfortable postoperative access for the patient.