Method for pre-operative visualization of instrumentation used with a surgical guide for dental implant placement

1. A method of manufacturing a surgical guide to be placed in a patient's mouth, comprising:

scanning a patient's mouth to obtain surgical-region scan data in a surgical region at which at least one dental implant is to be located and dental conditions opposite from the surgical region so as to obtain opposing-condition scan data;

developing a virtual model of the patient's mouth using the surgical-region scan data and the opposing-condition scan data;

checking the dimensions of instrumentation to be used with the surgical guide using the opposing-condition scan data to ensure the instrumentation will fit within the patient's mouth;

after the checking step, obtaining final surgical-guide manufacturing information based on the virtual model; and

manufacturing the surgical guide based on the final surgical-model manufacturing information.

2. The method of claim 1 , further including placing the surgical guide in the patient's mouth and installing the at least one dental implant through an opening in the surgical guide.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the surgical guide is made of a polymeric material and includes a master tube that is made from a metal, the master tube being embedded in the polymeric material and providing the opening.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the installing the at least one dental implant includes developing an osteotomy with a plurality of drill bits that fit through the opening prior to the installation of the at least one dental implant, each of the plurality of drill bits being the instrumentation used with the virtual model to ensure proper fitting within the patient's mouth.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the instrumentation includes a plurality of drill bits that are illustrated in the virtual model to ensure proper fitting.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the instrumentation includes a combination of an implant mount and the at least one dental implant attached thereto, the combination being illustrated in the virtual model to ensure proper fitting.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein in response to the checking of the dimensions of the instrumentation indicating an unworkable condition, altering the instrumentation so that altered instrumentation fits within the patient's mouth.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising developing a virtual surgical guide based on the location of the at least one dental implant and the surgical-region scan data.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein in response to the checking of the dimensions of the instrumentation indicating an unworkable condition, altering the location of the at least one dental implant and altering the virtual surgical guide so that the instrumentation fits within the patient's mouth.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising developing, with the use of the virtual model, a surgical plan that includes the location of the at least one dental implant to be placed in the mouth of the patient.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein developing the surgical plan further includes determining the instrumentation to be used in installing the implant.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein in response to the checking of the dimensions of the instrumentation indicating an unworkable condition, altering the surgical plan so that the instrumentation fits within the patient's mouth.

13. The method of claim 1 , further comprising displaying the virtual model on a display.

14. The method of claim 1 , further comprising displaying the instrumentation on a display.

15. A method of developing a surgical plan for placing a dental implant in a patient's mouth, the method comprising:

scanning a patient's mouth in an opened position to acquire surgical-region scan data and opposing-condition scan data;

developing a virtual model of the patient's mouth using the surgical-region scan data and the opposing-condition scan data, the virtual model indicating a location for the dental implant;

using the virtual model to determine whether instrumentation to be used in an actual surgery will fit within the patient's mouth; and

after determining whether the instrumentation will fit, developing the surgical plan that includes the location of the dental implant to be placed in the mouth of the patient and a surgical protocol of the instrumentation to be used to install the dental implant.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the instrumentation includes a plurality of drill bits having instrumentation dimensions used within the virtual model to ensure proper fitting.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein the instrumentation includes a combination of an implant mount and the dental implant attached thereto, the combination having instrumentation dimensions used within the virtual model to ensure proper fitting.

18. The method of claim 15 , wherein the opposing-condition scan data provides spatial constraint data including an available dimension measured from a surgical region of the patient's top or bottom jaw to an opposing region of the other of the patient's top or bottom jaw.

19. The method of claim 18 , further comprising altering the surgical plan by altering the instrumentation so that altered instrumentation has a dimension that is less than the available dimension.

20. The method of claim 15 , further comprising displaying the virtual model on a display.

21. The method of claim 20 , further comprising manufacturing a surgical guide to be placed in the patient's mouth based on the surgical plan.

22. The method of claim 15 , further comprising displaying the instrumentation on a display.

23. The method of claim 22 , further comprising manufacturing a surgical guide to be placed in the patient's mouth based on the surgical plan.