Accuracy of Fully Guided Dental Implant Placement by Experienced and Novice Clinicians Using Different Surgical Guides

Accuracy of Fully Guided Dental Implant Placement: A Comparative Study of Experienced vs. Novice Clinicians Using Unilateral Tooth Supported, Bilateral Tooth Supported, and Soft Tissue Supported Guides

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn how accurate fully guided dental implant placement is when performed by experienced versus novice clinicians. It will also study how different types of surgical guides affect the accuracy of implant placement.

The main questions it aims to answer are:

Does the clinician's level of experience affect how closely the dental implant matches the planned position?

Does the type of surgical guide (tooth-supported or mucosa-supported) influence implant placement accuracy?

Researchers will compare the implant accuracy across six groups based on clinician experience and guide type.

Participants will:

Undergo a fully guided dental implant procedure using a 3D-printed surgical guide

Be treated by either an experienced or a novice clinician

Receive follow-up scans to measure how accurately the implant was placed compared to the digital plan

Inclusion Criteria:

• Age 18 years or older
• Clinical situation suitable for dental implant placement as judged by the examining physician or principal investigator
• Adequate soft and hard tissue conditions for implant placement
• Adequate occlusion in the implant area
• Sufficient bone volume to place the implant without bone augmentation (i.e., at least 2 mm of bone circumferentially around the implant site based on preoperative CBCT)

Exclusion Criteria:

• Major systemic diseases (e.g., uncontrolled diabetes, immunosuppressive conditions)
• Untreated or uncontrolled dental caries
• Active periodontal disease
• Requirement for bone augmentation or sinus lift in the implant area
• Current pregnancy
• Current smoker (defined as >10 cigarettes per day)
• Noncompliance or inability to follow study protocols
• Known allergies to materials used in the implant system or medications administered