Radiographic/Surgical Guides

Radiographic and surgical guides are necessary to properly treatment plan and execute treatment for implant dentistry cases. The design and accuracy of fit of a radiographic guide provide the needed diagnostic information and enable it to be converted to a surgical guide.

Below are examples of various designs.

Radiographic guides used to fabricate a Materialize® surgical guide have specific requirements. For the fully edentulous arch, the denture base and the teeth should contain barium of different concentrations. The guide for the partially edentulous situation will be tooth borne, and only the missing teeth should contain barium.

Surgical guides may be used to obtain an index at the time of implant fixture placement.  This permits the abutment and temporary crown to be fabricated and inserted at stage II surgery.

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Figure 1

Radiographic guide with markings for the incisal edges and the long axis of missing teeth

(Figure 1)A tooth supported radiographic guide with gutta percha used to mark the incisal edges and the long axis of missing teeth

Figure 2

Radiographic guide with missing teeth coated in barium

(Figure 2)Radiographic guide that is tooth supported with missing teeth coated in barium


Figure 3

Radiographic guide with a full arch of teeth

(Figure 3)A full arch tissue supported radiographic guide teeth are made with barium

Figure 4

Barium surgical guide in a patient's mouth

(Figure 4)A tooth supported barium surgical guide converted from a barium radiographic guide


Figure 5

Barium surgical guide in a patient's mouth

(Figure 5)Occlusal view of a barium tooth supported surgical guide

Figure 6

Materialize® surgical guide

(Figure 6) Bone supported Materialize® surgical guide


Figure 7

Materialize® surgical guides

(Figure 7) Materialize® bone supported surgical guides for drill progression

Figure 8

Materialize® surgical guide in place during surgery

(Figure 8) Bone supported Materialize surgical guide in during surgery


Figure 9

Poorly fitting tooth supported surgical guide

(Figure 9)Poorly fitting tooth supported surgical guide

Figure 10

Well fitting surgical guide

(Figure 10) Well fitting surgical guide with good insical overlap used for taking an index of implant fixture at time of placement


Figure 11

Pick-up impression coping in place

{Figure 11) Pick-up impression coping in place

Figure 12

Surgical guide in place with pick-up coping

(Figure 12) Surgical guide in place with pick-up coping occlusal view


Figure13

Luting pick-up coping to surgical guide

(Figure 13) Luting pick-up coping to surgical guide

Figure 14

Impression coping attached to surgical guide

(Figure 14) Impression coping attached to surgical guide will be sent to lab for abutment and provisional crown placement at Stage II surgery