A method for detecting alignment of a drill sleeve in a drilling template relative to the jaw of a person, includes: creating an impression element including a negative impression of the jaw structure; creating an X-ray template from the impression element by disposing spaced X-ray visible reference bodies in the impression element; carrying out a first three-dimensional radiological detection, in which the jaw, together with the X-ray template fastened to the jaw, is detected by DVT or CT; creating a drilling template from the X-ray template by fastening a drilling sleeve in/on the X-ray template; inserting a reference object, including spaced X-ray visible reference bodies, into the drill sleeve; and carrying out a second three-dimensional radiological detection, in which only the drilling template, which is outside the jaw, including the reference bodies thereof, and the reference object inserted therein, including the reference bodies thereof, are detected.

An ablation procedure. The ablation procedure may be applied to tooth buds and result in tooth agenesis. The ablation procedure may be applied to lesions or tumors. A method for using a tooth bud ablation system in a tooth bud ablation procedure for ablating a tooth bud, said tooth bud having a middle, said procedure resulting in the agenesis of said tooth. The tooth may be a third molar in a human patient. A method for creating a third molar tooth bud ablation system including a custom surgical stent and an ablation probe tip for use in a third molar tooth bud ablation procedure that results in the agenesis of a third molar in a human patient.

A dental implant screwdriver harness system enables a dentist to restrain and stabilize an implant screwdriver, while simultaneously turning the driver head using only one hand. A tether attached to the dentist's hand/finger connects to a stepped socket assembly, comprising multiple driver sockets, which seat driver heads of several standard diameters. A flexible slotted driver shaft strap wraps over the driver shaft and holds the driver head down against a central socket base.

A dental implant screwdriver harness system enables a dentist to restrain and stabilize an implant screwdriver, while simultaneously turning the driver head using only one hand. A tether attached to the dentist's hand/finger connects to a stepped socket assembly, comprising multiple driver sockets, which seat driver heads of several standard diameters. A flexible perforated driver shaft strap wraps over the driver shaft and holds the driver head down against a central socket base.

A bone foundation guide system has a bone foundation guide including a body that is contoured to reversibly affix to a bone segment of a dental implant surgical site. The body is further contoured to guide the cutting of a portion of the bone segment from a dental implant surgical site and alternatively support a dental implant surgical guide. The body is further contoured to support a bone foundation guide prosthesis as an alternative to the dental implant surgical guide. The bone foundation guide prosthesis combines with the body to accommodate the bone segment portion as placed through the body prior to the bone segment portion being removed from the dental implant site through the use of the body.

A template for use with an instrument to drill a hole in a surface at a desired location. The template includes a body which has a negative impression of the surface, and a guideway having a first end positioned to open onto the desired location when the body is placed in conforming contact with the surface and a second end positioned on an exterior surface of the body. The second end of the guideway is connected to the first end by a passage. The guideway is preferably positioned in a portion of the template which is removable from the remainder thereof. The template also includes a stop for limiting the depth of penetration of the drill bit into the hole, a first fastener for attaching the stop to the body and a second fastener for fastening the removable portion of the template to the remainder of the template.

An ablation procedure. The ablation procedure may be applied to tooth buds 120 and result in tooth agenesis. The ablation procedure may be applied to lesions or tumors. A tooth bud ablation system for use in a tooth bud ablation procedure that results in tooth agenesis. A method for volume scanning both hard tissues and soft tissues of a patient. A method for manufacturing or fabricating a custom surgical stent 110. A custom surgical stent 110 for use in a tooth bud ablation procedure that results in tooth agenesis, the custom surgical stent 110 for use with an ablation probe tip 108 having a center of ablation 130a.

A low coherence interferometry probe system for evaluating proximity to a tissue layer, comprising a low coherence light source for generating low coherence excitation light, an excitation optical fiber to bring the low coherence excitation light near the tissue layer and a collection optical fiber for capturing back-scattered light from the tissue layer. The probe system comprises a low coherence interferometry sub-system and a digital signal processor for evaluating a distance to the tissue layer. There is also provided a spectral absorption probe system for evaluating proximity to an artery, comprising a light source excitation light having a wavelength adapted for absorption by blood chromophores, an excitation optical fiber and a collection optical fiber. The probe system comprises a light detector and a signal processor for determining a distance to the artery based on the back-scattered light and on Beer-Lambert law of light absorption using a value for surrounding tissue attenuation coefficient (eff). A probe system combining low coherence interferometry and spectral absorption is also provided.

A method and system for producing a dental implant surgical guide is disclosed. A patient-specific virtual model is generated using image data specific to a patient and virtual dental implants. The virtual model aligns the image data with the virtual dental implants using modeling software. A virtual mold is generated from the virtual model, and a physical mold is generated from the virtual mold. The physical mold is covered with a thermoplastic sheet via a thermoforming process. Excess thermoplastic material is trimmed off after the thermoforming process to produce a thermoformed piece. Metal tubes corresponding to each the virtual dental implants are placed onto the physical mold denoting the position, trajectory, and depth of the one or more virtual dental implants. A dental implant surgical guide that contains the thermoformed piece with the one or more tubes is produced.

A method of producing a modification plan for producing a surgical guide from an impression element includes: obtaining surface data representing a configuration of a surface of an impression element providing an impression of a surgical site; obtaining image data of a patient's anatomy; obtaining surgical plan data providing a surgical plan with respect to features in the image data representing anatomical features of the patient's anatomy; registering the impression element using the surface data and the image data with anatomical features of the patient's anatomy; and producing a modification plan from the surgical plan data using the registration of the impression element with anatomical features of the patient's anatomy, the modification plan being a plan for modifying the impression element.