Too Big? Too Small? How to Place an Implant Just Right. (Video)

Do you know what a “Goldilocks” implant is? Even if you’ve never heard the term, you’re familiar with the concept—when placing an implant, we don’t want it to be too big or too small but just right. But how do we find that perfect fit? There’s a lot to take into consideration:

• Bone volume

• Mesial-distal space

• Apical-coronal space

• Occlusal space

• Anatomic limitations

I use my CS 3D Imaging software to generate precise measurements from CBCT scans captured with my CS 9000 3D extraoral imaging system or CS 9300 but there are also some key numbers I keep in mind when planning the perfect implant.

Gone are the days when we had to hold transparent measurements over a panoramic radiograph on a lightbox. A combination of advanced software and cutting-edge CBCT systems give us all the measurements we need. That, along with these four numbers to keep in mind for final measurements, gives us implants that are juuuust right.

Were you familiar with these four measurements? What numbers do you always consider when planning implants?