J Dent Anesth Pain Med.  2021 Jun;21(3):253-260. 10.17245/jdapm.2021.21.3.253.

A simplified CAD/CAM extraoral surgical guide for therapeutic injections

• Cameron A
• Custódio ALN
• Bakr M
• Reher P

• KMID: 2516539
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.17245/jdapm.2021.21.3.253

Abstract

Therapeutic injections into the craniofacial region can be a complex procedure because of the nature of its anatomical structure. This technical note demonstrates a process for creating an extra-oral template to inject therapeutic substances into the temporomandibular joint and the lateral pterygoid muscle. The described process involves merging cone-beam computed tomography data and extra-oral facial scans obtained using a mobile device to establish a correlated data set for virtual planning. Virtual injection points were simulated using existing dental implant planning software to assist clinicians in precisely targeting specific anatomical structures. A template was designed and then 3D printed. The printed template showed adequate surface fit. This innovative process demonstrates a potential new clinical technique. However, further validation and in vivo trials are necessary to assess its full potential.

Keyword

3D Printing; CAD-CAM; Extra-Oral Scanning; Face Scanner; Lateral Pterygoid Muscle; Temporomandibular Joint