ANSWERS

What is dynamic navigation implant placement?

Dynamic navigation implant placement uses real-time 3D tracking to guide the surgeon's handpiece during implant surgery. A CBCT scan plans the implant position, then optical sensors track the drill against the plan on a monitor, with sub-millimeter accuracy.

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Why it works this way

How dynamic navigation works

Dynamic navigation systems (X-Guide by X-Nav Technologies, Navident by ClaroNav, DenSys by DenSys5) combine three inputs: a preoperative CBCT scan, a treatment plan with implant position locked to anatomy, and optical tracking arrays mounted on the patient and the handpiece. During surgery, the monitor shows the drill tip overlaid on the CT in real time. A 2020 study in the International Journal of Oral & Maxillofacial Implants reported mean coronal deviations of 0.71mm and apical deviations of 1.00mm for dynamic navigation, comparable to static guides at 1.04mm coronal and 1.31mm apical.

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Does dynamic navigation require a different lab workflow than static guides?

The lab-side planning is nearly identical. Dani Dental starts from the same CBCT and intraoral scan, designs the prosthetically-driven implant position in the same CAD environment, and exports the plan. The difference is the deliverable: a static guide is milled or printed and shipped; a navigation plan is exported as a file the surgeon loads into the X-Guide, Navident, or DenSys console. Turnaround on the planning step runs the same 3-5 business days either way.

What CBCT resolution is needed for dynamic navigation accuracy?

Most dynamic navigation systems require a CBCT voxel size of 0.3mm or smaller for reliable tracking accuracy. Field of view should capture the full surgical site plus reference fiducials, typically 8x8cm or larger for posterior single units and 16x10cm for full arches. Scan parameters matter: motion artifacts from patient movement during the scan degrade the plan accuracy and propagate into the surgical deviation, so a steady scan with bite stabilization is worth the extra two minutes.

Can dynamic navigation be used for All-on-X cases?

Yes, though most All-on-X surgeons still prefer static guides because the guide doubles as a positional reference for the immediate provisional. Dynamic navigation works well for All-on-X when the case involves zygomatic or pterygoid implants where trajectory tolerances are tight, or when soft-tissue anatomy makes a tissue-supported static guide unreliable. Dani Dental designs the prosthetic plan the same way regardless of which surgical method the clinician chooses, and ships the immediate provisional on the agreed timeline.

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