Objective: To test the accuracy of implant sites drilled using 3D printed sleeve-free surgical guides made following a stepped approach directed to reduce the accumulative errors during the manufacturing process.
Material and methods: Twelve 3D printed surgical guides were constructed to plan twenty-four implants' drilling sites. The desktop 3D printer building platform was leveled. Layer normal exposure time and guide hole tolerance calibration were done. The predrilled casts were scanned, and the 3D models were exported as STL files. The surgical guides were designed, printed, and solidified according to the calibrated parameters. The drilled casts were scanned with the drill bit in the prepared site, and the exported STL post-drilling models were analyzed to measure the linear and the angular deviations of the drilled sites. The results were compared to the findings of previous studies.
Results: The mean and standard deviation of the coronal linear and angular deviation were 0.155 ± 0.095 mm and 1.129 ± 0.323°, respectively. The mean and standard deviation of the apical linear deviation at 5, 10, 15, and 20mm implant lengths were 0.246 ± 0.106 mm, 0.338 ± 0.125 mm, 0.429 ± 0.149 mm, and 0.520 ± 0.176 mm, respectively. The means and standard deviations were lower than that of the compared studies.
Conclusion: Addressing several errors during the manufacture of sleeve-free surgical guides reduces the degree of linear and angular deviation of the drilled implant sites.