Exploring Augmented Reality for Dental Implant Surgery: Feasibility of Using Smartphones as Navigation Tools
ABSTRACT Objectives Dental implant placement requires exceptional precision to ensure functional and esthetic success. Traditional guidance methods, such as static drilling guides and dynamic navigation systems, have improved accuracy but are limited by high costs, rigidity, and reliance on speciali...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2025-02-01
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| Series: | Clinical and Experimental Dental Research |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1002/cre2.70110 |
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| author | Richard Mosch Vasilios Alevizakos Dragan Alexander Ströbele Marcus Schiller Constantin vonSee |
| author_facet | Richard Mosch Vasilios Alevizakos Dragan Alexander Ströbele Marcus Schiller Constantin vonSee |
| author_sort | Richard Mosch |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | ABSTRACT Objectives Dental implant placement requires exceptional precision to ensure functional and esthetic success. Traditional guidance methods, such as static drilling guides and dynamic navigation systems, have improved accuracy but are limited by high costs, rigidity, and reliance on specialized hardware. This study introduces an augmented reality (AR) system using consumer smartphones for real‐time navigation in dental implant placement. The system aims to provide a cost‐effective, eco‐friendly alternative to conventional methods by integrating virtual planning with physical models. Material and Methods A modified dental training model with removable parallel pins served as the physical component. Implant positions were digitally planned and color‐coded using 3D scanning and modeling software, then integrated into an AR application built with Unity Engine. A smartphone's camera was calibrated to project virtual overlays onto the physical model. In vitro testing evaluated alignment accuracy, drill guidance, and system performance under controlled lighting conditions. Results The AR system successfully aligned virtual overlays with the physical model, providing effective visual guidance for implant drill positioning. Operators maintained planned trajectories, demonstrating the feasibility of AR as an alternative to static and dynamic guidance systems. Challenges included the system's sensitivity to stable lighting and visual cues. Conclusions This AR‐based approach offers an accessible and sustainable solution for modern dental implantology. Future research will focus on quantitative accuracy assessments, AI integration for enhanced performance, and clinical trials to validate real‐world applicability. AR technology has the potential to transform dental practices by improving outcomes while reducing costs and environmental impact. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-02de1f557dea4e77aba837443aaeaaf9 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2057-4347 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-02-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Clinical and Experimental Dental Research |
| spelling | doaj-art-02de1f557dea4e77aba837443aaeaaf92025-08-20T03:18:41ZengWileyClinical and Experimental Dental Research2057-43472025-02-01111n/an/a10.1002/cre2.70110Exploring Augmented Reality for Dental Implant Surgery: Feasibility of Using Smartphones as Navigation ToolsRichard Mosch0Vasilios Alevizakos1Dragan Alexander Ströbele2Marcus Schiller3Constantin vonSee4Department of Dentistry, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Research Center for Digital Technologies in Dentistry and CAD/CAM Danube Private University Krems an der Donau AustriaDepartment of Dentistry, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Research Center for Digital Technologies in Dentistry and CAD/CAM Danube Private University Krems an der Donau AustriaDepartment of Dentistry, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Research Center for Digital Technologies in Dentistry and CAD/CAM Danube Private University Krems an der Donau AustriaDepartment of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Hannover Medical School Hannover GermanyDepartment of Dentistry, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Research Center for Digital Technologies in Dentistry and CAD/CAM Danube Private University Krems an der Donau AustriaABSTRACT Objectives Dental implant placement requires exceptional precision to ensure functional and esthetic success. Traditional guidance methods, such as static drilling guides and dynamic navigation systems, have improved accuracy but are limited by high costs, rigidity, and reliance on specialized hardware. This study introduces an augmented reality (AR) system using consumer smartphones for real‐time navigation in dental implant placement. The system aims to provide a cost‐effective, eco‐friendly alternative to conventional methods by integrating virtual planning with physical models. Material and Methods A modified dental training model with removable parallel pins served as the physical component. Implant positions were digitally planned and color‐coded using 3D scanning and modeling software, then integrated into an AR application built with Unity Engine. A smartphone's camera was calibrated to project virtual overlays onto the physical model. In vitro testing evaluated alignment accuracy, drill guidance, and system performance under controlled lighting conditions. Results The AR system successfully aligned virtual overlays with the physical model, providing effective visual guidance for implant drill positioning. Operators maintained planned trajectories, demonstrating the feasibility of AR as an alternative to static and dynamic guidance systems. Challenges included the system's sensitivity to stable lighting and visual cues. Conclusions This AR‐based approach offers an accessible and sustainable solution for modern dental implantology. Future research will focus on quantitative accuracy assessments, AI integration for enhanced performance, and clinical trials to validate real‐world applicability. AR technology has the potential to transform dental practices by improving outcomes while reducing costs and environmental impact.https://doi.org/10.1002/cre2.70110augmented realitydental implantsimage‐guided surgerysmartphone |
| spellingShingle | Richard Mosch Vasilios Alevizakos Dragan Alexander Ströbele Marcus Schiller Constantin vonSee Exploring Augmented Reality for Dental Implant Surgery: Feasibility of Using Smartphones as Navigation Tools Clinical and Experimental Dental Research augmented reality dental implants image‐guided surgery smartphone |
| title | Exploring Augmented Reality for Dental Implant Surgery: Feasibility of Using Smartphones as Navigation Tools |
| title_full | Exploring Augmented Reality for Dental Implant Surgery: Feasibility of Using Smartphones as Navigation Tools |
| title_fullStr | Exploring Augmented Reality for Dental Implant Surgery: Feasibility of Using Smartphones as Navigation Tools |
| title_full_unstemmed | Exploring Augmented Reality for Dental Implant Surgery: Feasibility of Using Smartphones as Navigation Tools |
| title_short | Exploring Augmented Reality for Dental Implant Surgery: Feasibility of Using Smartphones as Navigation Tools |
| title_sort | exploring augmented reality for dental implant surgery feasibility of using smartphones as navigation tools |
| topic | augmented reality dental implants image‐guided surgery smartphone |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1002/cre2.70110 |
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