Flapless Approach for Removal of Bone Graft Fixing Screws and Placement of Dental Implants Using Computerized Navigation: A Technique and Case Report

This article presents a technique for the removal of the screws used to fix a bone graft and for the placement of dental implants in a flapless approach that utilizes the tracking technology of a computerized navigation system. A 24-year-old female patient injured in a terrorist bombing suffered from tooth loss and a bone defect in the maxilla. The area was grafted with bone from the chin in preparation for the placement of dental implants. Four months following the grafting procedure, the fixing screws were removed and the dental implants were placed in a flapless approach by the application of a specialized computerized navigation system. This technique emphasizes the potential of computerized navigation approaches in the facilitation of minimally invasive oral surgery. Keywords: bone grafting, computer-assisted surgery, dental implants, flapless implant surgery, navigation surgery, screws