Service
Digital Treatment Planning and Surgical Guide Services
Watersedge Dental Laboratory offers comprehensive digital treatment planning and surgical guides to dentists and oral surgeons in the Ottawa area.
Precision and predictability are essential in guided implant surgery, and for nearly a decade, we’ve helped dental partners achieve exceptional results.
With thousands of surgical guides fabricated—including stackable guides tailored for precision—we support all implant systems and types. Our expert team is dedicated to providing the guidance and expertise you need to ensure the best outcomes for your patients.
Digital Implant Planning Services
Digital implant planning begins with thoroughly assessing the patient’s needs and dental condition. Using cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) scan data, we create a precise 3D model of the patient’s jaw. This advanced technology enables us to evaluate bone density, identify anatomical limitations, and plan optimal implant placement to support the final fixed restoration or removable restoration. The insights from our implant planning software provide many benefits for both dentists and patients:
- Predictability: Provides a clear view of the final result and potential challenges, aiding decision-making before guided surgery.
- Precision: Identifies the optimal implant position, angulation, and depth for ideal osseointegration and restorative success.
- Reduced Risk: Spots potential issues like sinus and inferior alveolar nerve proximity, minimizing the risk during guided implant surgery.
- Improved Aesthetics: Positions implants to blend naturally with the final restoration.
- Enhanced Communication: Allows for clear communication between the surgeon/dentist and the lab, optimizing the outcome and exceeding the patient’s expectations.
Digital Treatment Planning Process with Watersedge
- Records and CBCT Scan
Case info, scans, and models are sent to Watersedge. Our CBCT Scan Flowchart helps clinicians obtain a high-quality CBCT scan of the patient’s jaw, including using radiopaque guides when needed. - Digital Planning
Watersedge creates a 3D model of the patient’s mouth and digitally plans the implant placement, considering factors like bone density, anatomical landmarks, and the desired dental implant restoration. - Web Review Meeting
The clinician and an expert from Watersedge meet virtually to review the 3D model and discuss the case. A detailed report with screenshots and a diagnostic setup of the final restoration is also provided. - Surgical Guide Plan Approval
The clinician then chooses whether to approve or have the plan modified in order for Watersedge to produce the physical surgical guide. In some situations, where surgical predictability is now not in question thanks to the CBCT based planning, the clinician may be confident enough to choose to proceed with the implant placement without the production of a surgical guide. In those situations Watersedge charges a reduced fee for planning alone which reflects the decision to proceed without the production of the physical guide.
Request Digital Treatment Planning and Surgical Guide Services
To initiate the planning process, Watersedge Dental Laboratory requires the following information:
- CBCT Scan: A high-quality CBCT scan is essential for viewing the patient’s bone structure in 3D, assessing bone density, and identifying critical structures. Use our CBCT scan flowchart to ensure that the information provided by the CBCT is complete based on your treatment plan.
- Dental Impressions or Scans: Provide either physical impressions or a digital intraoral scan. This data is combined with the CBCT scan to plan implant placement accurately.
- Dentist’s Prescription and Records: Submit a detailed prescription specifying the type of restoration (crown, bridge, or denture) and any specific patient needs.
- Guide Type: Indicate the type of surgical guide required—tooth-supported, bone-supported, or tissue-supported—based on the patient’s case.
- Restoration Plan: Share details of the planned final restoration or prosthesis to ensure the computer-guided implant placement aligns with the restoration.
The expert team at Watersedge is here to help you make excellent decisions. Please contact us directly for support to address any questions or concerns with the above information.
"A collective of the most talented and passionate people I have ever known. The atmosphere of teamwork is treasured and comes through in all things we do and present to the world. A special sense of joy and pride is always in the air. "
Surgical Guide Services
Customized surgical guides from Watersedge help clinicians accurately position and place implants according to the digital treatment plan. They ensure the proper depth, angulation, and location of the implant, minimizing the risk of errors and improving the overall outcome of implant surgery.
We offer tooth-borne, bone-supported, tissue-supported and stackable guides to accommodate different clinical scenarios.
Surgical Guide Options
Upon plan approval, we use state-of-the-art technology to create the requested surgical guides.
Tooth-borne guides can be retained and stabilized by the patient’s existing teeth. Enough healthy teeth must be present to support the guide adequately.
Bone-supported guides are anchored directly to the patient’s jawbone using pins or screws. They are used when there aren’t enough teeth for support or when extra stability is needed, such as in cases involving bone reduction.
For nearly a decade, we’ve been fabricating specialized stackable guides that enable surgeons to work through complex procedures step by step. This system provides precise guidance in challenging cases, such as bone reduction to reshape the jawbone, implant placement for multiple implants, and for temporary prosthesis immediate loading (where patients can leave implant surgery with a fixed temporary restoration). In these cases, we pre-create the prosthesis, and an expert Watersedge technician attends chairside to assist in the process of seating and securing the appliance.
Tissue-supported guides are supported by the patient’s soft tissues, also using pins or screws for retention. They may be used in edentulous patients (without teeth) or in cases where the bone quality is poor.
Within each type of guide listed above, Watersedge offers variations to provide comprehensive support throughout the drilling sequence:
The small sleeve of a pilot surgical guide provides initial guidance by directing the pilot drill to create the initial osteotomy for the implant. Some surgeons choose these guides for initial placement accuracy. Once the pilot hole is created, the guide is removed and the enlargement of the osteotomy to accommodate the implant size continues as per normal parameters.
Fully guided surgical guides have an integrated sleeve which is designed to accommodate a sequence of keys, from the initial pilot through to the final osteotomy key indicated for the implant being used. They allow for complete and precise control over the depth and angulation of each osteotomy, ultimately minimizing the risk of deviation from the planned implant position.
Additional Planning and Guide Fabrication Services
Watersedge offers other services to support your guided dental implant surgery cases, including:
Temporary Implant Restorations
Fabricated from the digital plan, these provide patients with immediate aesthetics and function after implant placement, supporting their confidence during the healing and integration process.
Custom Healing Abutments
Custom healing abutments are designed to shape soft tissue contours around the implant, promoting natural gum healing and improving the final restoration’s aesthetics. By guiding the soft tissue to form a seamless fit around the crown, these abutments prevent the unsightly embrasures or gaps that can form between the teeth and gums.
Chairside Support
Our technicians are available to attend implant surgery and assist your team. This service is especially valuable for:
- First-Time Guide Users: We can guide you through the process and ensure a smooth and successful experience using our surgical guides.
- Complex Cases: We provide on-site expertise for cases involving stackable guides and immediate temporary prosthesis loading, ensuring optimal precision and efficiency.
Flexible Pricing
Understanding that every implant surgery case is unique, we offer flexible pricing depending on case complexity.
- Digital Implant Planning: Available at a flat fee per arch; can be purchased as a standalone service without surgical guides for case evaluation purposes.
- Single Implant Surgical Guide: One base price covers digital planning and guide fabrication for a single implant site.
- Multi-Implant Surgical Cases: Additional implant sites are priced individually as “add-ons” at a significantly lower rate than the base price.
- Complex Cases: Pricing for advanced procedures needing multiple or stackable guides is based on case complexity.
Timing and Delivery
Watersedge aims to complete all cases as efficiently as possible. However, more complex cases require more time for planning and fabrication due to the intricate nature of the procedures involved.
- Digital Planning: Completed within five business days for single implants or straightforward multi-implant cases.
- Guide Fabrication: Produced within five business days after approval of the digital plan.
- Complex Cases: Cases involving stackable guides or those requiring extensive bone reduction have longer turnaround times which can be specifically defined at the time the order is placed.
Delivery
Upon completion, cases are packaged and promptly couriered within our service area. Shipping is also available throughout Canada and North America.
FAQs
A CBCT scan is essential for accurately assessing bone density, identifying critical anatomical landmarks, and precisely planning implant placements. To achieve the best possible scan quality and minimize artifacts, refer to our CBCT scan flowchart to prepare patients for their scans. If appliances are required, the Watersedge CBCT scan flowchart will help you identify what is needed.
A stackable guide is a type of bone-supported guide used in cases involving bone reduction. Multiple stackable guides are often used in full-arch implant cases requiring significant bone reduction.
Each guide is suited for different clinical situations, depending on the patient’s existing dentition and the case’s complexity. We have nearly a decade of experience in guided surgery and will work closely with you to assess your patient’s needs, prepare a digital plan, and recommend the most suitable guide for each specific case. You will find that our advanced experience provides you with all the support you need in order to be confident in your treatment.
Watersedge offers competitive pricing for digital treatment planning and surgical guides. We have a flat fee per arch for the planning phase and a base price for a guide that includes planning and fabrication for one implant. Additional implants are priced separately. We can provide you with a detailed quote based on your specific case requirements.
Partnership and Collaboration with Ottawa Dentists
Watersedge Dental Laboratory is dedicated to supporting our Ottawa dental partners through every stage of the digital treatment planning and surgical guide process.
Trusted Digital Treatment Planning and Surgical Guides in the Ottawa Area
As a leading dental lab in Ottawa, Watersedge has earned the trust of dentists and surgeons across the region. Our attention to detail and commitment to superior craftsmanship make us a preferred lab for precise and predictable surgical guides and implant solutions.
Expertise
With years of cross-training in various aspects of dental restoration, we create surgical guides with a precise fit, ensuring proper implant placement and outstanding clinical outcomes.
With nearly a decade of experience in surgical implant dentistry, Watersedge leads the way in advanced implant technology. We specialize in complex cases, including stackable guides for bone reduction. Our team is proficient with all implant systems approved by Health Canada, giving you the flexibility to use your preferred products.
Comprehensive Support and Service
At Watersedge, we’re committed to being a trusted partner in your implant treatment success.
We focus on helping you achieve predictable, successful outcomes through expertise, innovation, and exceptional service. We provide support throughout the digital treatment planning and surgical guide process. From providing detailed reports to answering questions and chairside support, we ensure you’re confident and prepared at every step.
