Use of stereolithographic templates for surgical and prosthodontic implant planning and placement. Part I. The concept.

Surgical and prosthodontic implant complications are often an inadvertent sequelae of improper diagnosis, planning, and placement. These complications pose a significant challenge in implant dentistry. Presented in this article is a technique using a highly advanced software program along with a rapid prototyping technology called stereolithography. It permits graphic and complex 3D implant simulation and the fabrication of computer-generated surgical templates. These templates seat directly on the bone and are preprogrammed with the individual depth, angulation, and mesio-distal and bucco-lingual positioning of individual implants as planned during the 3D computer simulation.