ThinLayer® Guides vs conventional tube-based surgical guides

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Two points – A and B – define a straight-line and, in the case of surgical guides, a drill trajectory. In a tube guide, the top and bottom of a tube (or any other two points in the tube) define points A and B at the same time and keep a drill along its planned trajectory. In the ThinLayer® Guide system, the combination of our tube and ThinLayer® Guides defines points A and B sequentially. Initially an insertion point (Point A) is created on the gingiva (as a bleeding point) or bone (as a small pilot hole). If continuing with the tube guide, the outer diameter of each drill stop fits flush to the guide tube, creating Point B for each drill in the sequence.

But, when switching to the ThinLayer® Guide for use in the posterior, the outer diameter of the disposable drill stop fits flush to the surgical guide hole, creating Point B for each drill in the sequence. When you connect these two points by putting the tip of the drill through the surgical guide hole (Point B) and into the insertion point (Point A), you now have a defined trajectory to drill and prepare the planned osteotomy.

To clarify: If there is no vertical space constraint and the insertion point is good, you may instead continue to use the tube guide through the entire sequence. The drill stops fit flush with the ThinLayer® Guide hole, as well as the tube guide.

Vertical Space - Tube GuideVertical Space - ThinLayer Guide

Related Slide Presentation (from Oct 2012 webinar)

 

Please visit our website for further discussion on this and other topics related to guided surgery and surgical guides.

About Guided Surgery Solutions, LLC
Guided Surgery Solutions, LLC designs, manufactures, and sells 3D image-based surgical guides for dental implant surgery. The ThinLayer® Drill Guide System was developed in the founder’s clinical practice, in response to design limitations found in existing products. The solution makes guided surgery technically and economically feasible for all implant surgeons, allowing them to provide better treatment to more patients. Please visit www.guidedsurgerysolutions.com for more information.