Hannam-dong Dental Clinic: Guided Implant Surgery (Flapless Surgery) Using an Intraoral Scanner

Hello,

I am Dr. Kim Tae-young, the head director of Bareunyoung Dental Clinic in Hannam-dong, and I will be explaining a case personally treated by me.

In dentistry, implants are an excellent alternative for restoring teeth that require extraction.

Before implants became common, dentists used to perform bridge treatments using adjacent teeth or create dentures for extensive areas.

However, these methods required sacrificing healthy tooth structure or enduring discomfort with dentures.

Dental materials and surgical skills continue to advance, leading to the development of various new technologies.

While the basic concept of implanting fixtures into our alveolar bone remains unchanged, new methods are emerging to make surgeries less uncomfortable and painful for patients.

In today's case, I will discuss a surgery performed without gum incision, utilizing digital technology called ‘guided implant’ surgery. This involved creating temporary prosthetics using an intraoral scanner, rather than traditional impression materials like rubber putty, and then using that data for the guided surgery.

My front teeth are wobbly.

This patient had been visiting our clinic.

They remembered us from a referral by another patient in the past and came to Hannam-dong for treatment.

Initially, they had issues with their molars, and after receiving implants for the minimally necessary areas, they were in a check-up phase.

One day, they came in complaining that their front teeth felt wobbly every time they chewed.

Upon examination, the crown of the tooth indicated by the arrow was fractured.

The main cause was that the two canine teeth had been bearing the force of six teeth for a long period.

With mobility already observed in the opposite canine, re-prosthesis was deemed difficult.

I explained that implants would be the most suitable treatment method.

Since they were missing one molar on each side and had strong occlusal forces, four implants would be ideal to support the six upper front teeth. However, after evaluating the bone condition, three implants were determined to be the best option.

The Use of an Intraoral Scanner

Regarding my opinion on intraoral scanners:

While intraoral scanners have been introduced quite some time ago, their active utilization has not been for very long.

This is a demonstration of the intraoral scanner used at Bareunyoung Dental Clinic.

The advantage is that it's clean, as it doesn't use materials like rubber putty.

However, because the scanner tip is large and emits air, drying the mouth, patients with small mouths or the elderly sometimes find it uncomfortable.

For this patient, the scanner was used before surgery to create a temporary denture and a guide for implant surgery.

This is an image of the patient's oral cavity captured by the scanner.

Once this image is sent to the dental lab,

the fabrication of the temporary prosthesis proceeds immediately,

and a guide for implants can be created along with 3D CT data.

Implant Surgery Using a Guide

The reason for applying guided implants to this patient was:

Because the bone width was insufficient,

it was necessary to confirm that the surgery would proceed according to the initial design,

and because the patient had a habit of mouth breathing,

it was to reduce the surgery time as much as possible.

Furthermore, operating without opening the gums was much more advantageous,

allowing for precise and secure placement of the implants using the guide.

The guide was fabricated by the manufacturing center, providing feedback on the implant placement direction I designed.

The guide was made with reference points on the surrounding teeth, minimizing errors, and the path for implant placement was also prepared.

After performing additional alveolar bone grafting in the empty space where the tooth was extracted,

implants of appropriate diameter were placed simultaneously.

This is a post-surgery photo.

You can see that the implants were placed correctly in the initially designed positions.

Unfortunately, we couldn't create immediate temporary teeth as the desired number of implants wasn't achieved, but we minimized daily discomfort by creating a temporary denture that looked as natural as possible.

Sometimes, though not in all cases, when performing surgery,

using a guide in cases like this one,

requires a preparation process,

but from the perspective of patient convenience and assistance during surgery,

I believe it's beneficial.

Since the surgery was performed without incising the gums,

hemostasis and pain were almost non-existent the day after surgery, indicating good recovery.

Now, all that remains is to wait for the alveolar bone graft material, performed with the implants, to stabilize, and then proceed with the prosthetic work.

Today, we looked at how an intraoral scanner is used to create temporary prosthetics and guide devices for implants.

If you are experiencing a similar situation,

I recommend visiting a nearby dental clinic

to receive an accurate diagnosis.

Bareunyoung Dental Clinic

does not perform unverified treatments.

However,

to ensure patients receive comfortable treatment,

we always strive to research and provide evidence-based, high-quality care.

Thank you^^

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We believe that proper treatment leads to proper results. My wish is to create a trustworthy dental clinic where everyone who visits with worries can leave feeling reassured. - Bareunyoung Dental Clinic

Directions: 2nd Floor, JYJ Building, 179 Dongho-ro. Right in front of Exit 6 of Yaksu Station, towards Yaksu Market. Use Village Bus No. 5 (Yaksu Station), Village Bus No. 12 (Namsan Town, Yaksu Police Station), or bus stops (Yaksu Heights, Sindang Social Welfare Center, Gaon Library, Geumho Tunnel Entrance) when coming from YuYu Pharma towards Geumho Station.

This post was directly written by Bareunyoung Dental Clinic for the purpose of providing medical information and hospital advertising (in compliance with Article 56, Paragraph 1 of the Medical Service Act). The photos are of the same patient, and individual results, as well as side effects (prosthesis detachment, pain), may vary after surgery/procedure, so please consult thoroughly with the medical staff before making a decision.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the advantages of implant surgery using an intraoral scanner?

Yes, using an intraoral scanner allows for clean acquisition of oral information without materials like rubber putty. This enables precise fabrication of temporary prosthetics and implant surgical guides, reducing patient discomfort and increasing surgical accuracy.

In what cases is guided implant surgery suitable?

Guided implant surgery is particularly advantageous when precise placement path verification is needed due to insufficient bone width, or when surgery time needs to be shortened due to the patient's mouth breathing habits. It allows for surgery without gum incision, which aids in recovery.

What is the recovery like after flapless guided implant surgery?

Yes, because the surgery is performed without incising the gums, recovery is excellent, with almost no bleeding or pain the day after surgery. This minimizes patient discomfort and helps with a quick return to daily life.

Are there any inconveniences when using an intraoral scanner?

Yes, because the scanner's tip is large and emits air, individuals with small mouths or the elderly may occasionally feel discomfort. However, it eliminates the inconvenience of using rubber putty.

Can alveolar bone grafting be performed simultaneously with implant surgery?

Yes, it is possible to perform additional alveolar bone grafting in the empty space after extraction and simultaneously place implants of appropriate diameter. This helps ensure stable implant placement when bone conditions are insufficient.

Where is Bareunyoung Dental Clinic located?

Bareunyoung Dental Clinic is located on the 2nd floor of the JYJ Building at 179 Dongho-ro, Jung-gu, Seoul. It is conveniently located right in front of Exit 6 of Yaksu Station, making it easy to access by public transportation.