Freehand or Guided Implant Placement?

These days, when you want to get a message to someone quickly, you bust out your phone and text them. You wouldn’t send them a telegram or mail them a letter. But then again, there are times, such as birthdays, when sending an old-fashioned, hand-written card is the perfect way to show someone you care. A similar dichotomy exists with dental technology and placing implants.

To place an implant in the upper or lower ridge, dentists can either perform the procedure “freehand” or use technology to guide them. Each method has its own advantages. Read on to learn more about what these benefits are!

Benefits of Freehand Implant Placement

Although using new technology can be exciting, sometimes the traditional method is the best approach. When it comes to implant placement, there are scenarios in which freehand placement may be the better option. Choosing freehand offers these benefits:

Lower Cost

Whether you’re talking about smartphones or dental implant innovations, investing in and utilizing the newest technology available costs money for your dentist and, in turn, for you. If your implant case is uncomplicated, you may not need to use the latest and greatest technology; perhaps the traditional route works just as well. In this situation, freehand placement can reduce the price you pay and still give you great results.

Fewer Appointments

With guided implant placement, in order to collect all the information needed to put together a highly detailed treatment plan, your dentist may require you to come in for multiple appointments to prepare for the procedure. However, freehand placement typically only takes one visit, which not only saves you money but also precious time that you could use doing other things in your busy schedule.

Benefits of Guided Implant Placement

As good as some dentists or specialists are at freehand implant placement, there is still room for improvement, paving the way for guided placement. This technology allows the provider to plan and position dental implants with precision, increasing the chances of success. Below are some other benefits this treatment method offers.  

Fewer Mistakes and Complications

In a complex procedure like dental implant placement, humans can make mistakes. Even dentists who have years of training and expertise in the field can have patients who experience complications. Guided surgical placement decreases the margin for human error, giving the patient much more confidence going into treatment that it will be successful.

Faster Recovery Time

Along with fewer complications, patients whose placement has been guided by technology can also enjoy a faster recovery. When your dentist is able to avoid blood vessels or nerve endings in the procedure, you experience less discomfort and are able to heal more quickly.

Regardless of the method you and your dentist decide to use for your implants, know that your dentist has your best interests at heart. Together you can determine your needs and goals and find a solution that will help you achieve the completely restored smile you want.

About the Practice

At Blue Coast Dental, we have the great privilege of having four highly trained and experienced providers. On our team, we have two dentists, a periodontist, and a prosthodontist. Our periodontist, Dr. Peter Refela, performs most of the implant placement procedures and has the expertise necessary to handle basically any case. If you have questions about guided implant placement or freehand placement, you can schedule a consultation with Dr. Refela by contacting Blue Coast Dental on our website.