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Abstract
The dental implant surgery results usually depend on dentists’ clinical experiences and judgments. Most implant surgery utilizes the software to process pre-operation planning and simulation. Hence, this research intended to apply the rapid prototyping (RP) technique to build real mandible model for implant surgery simulation. Unlike other simple mandible RP models, vessels and nerves pathways are demonstrated in our model to help dentists to avoid false drillings on them. Besides, orientation pillars for surgical guide are included in the model. Moreover, for comparison’s purpose, the platforms of placing indexing balls are also integrated. Computed tomography (CT) data of mandible were first converted to a CAD model with vessels, nerve, orientation pillars, and indexing platforms by a medical imaging processing software. RP technique was then utilized to obtain a real 3D model for pre-operation planning, surgical guide fabrication, and surgery simulation. The mandible model helped to drill holes on the traditional surgical guide by a 5-axis CNC drill press and it also drilled into the mandible model. Besides, the dentist simulated the drilling process in the dental implant surgery on the mandible model. Both drilled RP mandible models were CT-scanned and compared with the designed implant locations and angles. The errors are within acceptable region. Our approach has been successfully demonstrated in dental implant’s pre-operation planning and simulation, which will help to increase the successful rate and safety of dental implant surgery.