IP Library Granted Patent US 12,544,186
Granted Patent B2
US 12,544,186 · App. 18/091,093 · Granted Feb 10, 2026

Surgical guide check

Inventors: Andreas Geier (Gargazon, IT); Zachary B. Suttin (Jupiter, FL)
Assignee: BIOMET 3I, LLC
A61C1/084A61B90/11A61C8/0089A61C19/04A61B2034/102A61B2034/108A61C9/004A61C13/34G06T2207/30036
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,544,186
App. No.
18/091,093
Granted
Feb 10, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method and a device for the simplified inspection of the compatibility of the positions of master tubes in a surgical guides with respect to the positions in a predetermined plan in a computer model. For example, during virtual planning, the virtual surgical guide includes master tubes having an axis that is the axis (e.g., an installation axis) along which a dental implant will be installed. The virtual surgical guide can be manufactured, e.g., by substrative methods and additive methods. As discussed herein, the accuracy of the physical surgical guide can be checked physically or virtually.

Claims (41)

1 . A method for checking the accuracy of a physical surgical guide fabricated based on a virtual surgical guide developed according to a virtual surgical plan, the method comprising:

receiving scan data of the physical surgical guide including a master tube inserted into an opening of the physical surgical guide, wherein a scan body is coupled to the physical surgical guide via the master tube, and wherein the scan data includes data representing the scan body, data representing the master tube, and data representing the physical surgical guide;

developing a virtual model of the scan data;

merging the virtual model of the scan data with the virtual surgical guide to determine whether or not a central axis of the master tube inserted in the physical surgical guide matches a central axis of a virtual master tube in the virtual surgical guide within a predetermined tolerance; and

confirming the accuracy of the physical surgical guide in response to determining that the central axis of the master tube inserted in the physical surgical guide matches the central axis of the virtual master tube in the virtual surgical guide within the predetermined tolerance.

2 . The method in claim 1 , wherein, in response to the central axis of the master tube inserted in the physical surgical guide matching with the central axis of the virtual master tube in the virtual surgical guide within the predetermined tolerance, determining the physical surgical guide is suitable for use with a patient.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the scan body engages a seating surface of the master tube to accurately couple the scan body with the master tube.

4 . A check booth system for use to determine the accuracy of a physical surgical guide manufactured based on a virtual surgical plan including at least one virtual implant and a virtual surgical guide including at least one master tube, the check booth system comprising:

a support surface; and

a checking support coupled to the support surface,

wherein the support surface is configured to receive a check protocol form, and

wherein the checking support includes a calibration member having openings and a support structure configured to engage with the physical surgical guide.

5 . The system of claim 4 , further including:

a plurality of calibration pins extending from a first end to a tip, the diameter of the calibration pins corresponding to the diameter of the openings of the calibration member.

6 . The system of claim 4 , further including:

a plurality of check pins extending from a first end to a tip, wherein at least a first check pin of the plurality of check pins has a first diameter that is different from a diameter of a second check pin of the plurality of check pins.

7 . The system of claim 4 , further including:

a plurality of check pins that can be used to extend through a plurality of master tubes having different diameters.

8 . The system of claim 4 , further including a plurality of check pins extending from a first end to a tip, wherein the tip is configured to leave a mark on the check protocol form.

9 . A non-transitory computer readable medium for checking the accuracy of a physical surgical guide fabricated based on a virtual surgical guide developed according to a virtual surgical plan, the non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions, which when executed by at least one processor, configure the at least one processor to perform operations comprising:

receiving scan data of the physical surgical guide including a master tube inserted into an opening of the physical surgical guide, wherein a scan body is coupled to the physical surgical guide via the master tube, and wherein the scan data includes data representing the scan body, data representing the master tube, and data representing the physical surgical guide;

developing a virtual model of the scan data;

merging the virtual model of the scan data with the virtual surgical guide to determine whether or not a central axis of the master tube inserted in the physical surgical guide matches a central axis of a virtual master tube in the virtual surgical guide within a predetermined tolerance; and

confirming the accuracy of the physical surgical guide in response to determining that the central axis of the master tube inserted in the physical surgical guide matches the central axis of the virtual master tube in the virtual surgical guide within the predetermined tolerance.

10 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 9 , wherein, in response to the central axis of the master tube inserted in the physical surgical guide matching with the central axis of the virtual master tube in the virtual surgical guide within the predetermined tolerance, determining the physical surgical guide is suitable for use with a patient.

11 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the scan body engages a seating surface of the master tube to accurately couple the scan body with the master tube.

12 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the predetermined tolerance is defining an acceptable tolerance of a central axis of the scan body using a circle surrounding a center point, wherein the center point coincides with the central axis.

13 . A system for checking the accuracy of a physical surgical guide fabricated based on a virtual surgical guide developed according to a virtual surgical plan, the system comprising:

at least one processor;

a storage device comprising instructions, which when executed by the at least one processor, configure the at least one processor to perform operations comprising:

receiving scan data of the physical surgical guide including a master tube inserted into an opening of the physical surgical guide, wherein a scan body is coupled to the physical surgical guide via the master tube, and wherein the scan data includes data representing the scan body, data representing the master tube, and data representing the physical surgical guide;

developing a virtual model of the scan data;

merging the virtual model of the scan data with the virtual surgical guide to determine whether or not a central axis of the master tube inserted in the physical surgical guide matches a central axis of a virtual master tube in the virtual surgical guide within a predetermined tolerance; and

confirming the accuracy of the physical surgical guide in response to determining that the central axis of the master tube inserted in the physical surgical guide matches the central axis of the virtual master tube in the virtual surgical guide within the predetermined tolerance.

14 . The system of claim 13 , wherein, in response to the central axis of the master tube inserted in the physical surgical guide matching with the central axis of the virtual master tube in the virtual surgical guide within the predetermined tolerance, determining the physical surgical guide is suitable for use with a patient.

15 . The system of claim 13 , wherein the scan body engages a seating surface of the master tube to accurately couple the scan body with the master tube.

16 . The system of claim 13 , the at least one processor further configured to:

receiving scan data of a patient's mouth;

transferring the scan data to a computer program;

creating a three-dimensional model of at least a portion of the patient's mouth on the computer program using the scan data; and

developing the virtual surgical plan based on the scan data of the patient's mouth, the virtual surgical plan including a virtual implant, the virtual surgical guide, and the virtual master tube.

Assignments (2)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Oct 20, 2025
From: BIOMET 3I, LLC; ZIMMER DENTAL INC.; IMPLANT CONCIERGE, LLC
To: GOLUB CAPITAL LLC, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 073142/0384 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 29, 2022
From: GEIER, ANDREAS; SUTTIN, ZACHARY B.
To: BIOMET 3I, LLC
Reel/Frame 062239/0786 →