Impact Of Implant Preparation Protocol On Robotic Implant Precision

To evaluate the impact of implant preparation protocols (thread tapping and guidance methods) on positional accuracy and lateral forces in robot-assisted immediate and healed socket implant placements. In vitro models of immediate and healed sockets were 3D-printed. A robotic system was used for osteotomy preparation and/or implant placement. under four protocols: with/without thread tapping, and fully/partially guided insertion, with three models per group, totaling 12 models, each group included immediate implant sites and healed sites, totaling 24 implants. Deviations (angular, platform, apical) and lateral forces were recorded via robotic force feedback and analyzed using CBCT-based software. Statistical comparisons utilized Shapiro-Wilk, t-tests, and Mann-Whitney U tests (α=0.05). Robot-assisted implantation showed comparable precision between immediate and healed sites (angular deviation: 0.85° vs. 0.66°, p<0.05), with lateral forces threefold higher in immediate sites (16.26±2.91 N vs. 5.53±0.91 N, p<0.05). Thread tapping did not affect precision, but fully guided protocols in non-tapped immediate sites achieved superior apical accuracy (0.47±0.18 mm) compared to partial guidance (1.43±0.15 mm, p<0.05). Despite higher lateral forces during immediate implant placement, robotic assistance achieved comparable precision in both immediate and healed sites. Fully robotic guidance markedly improved accuracy, particularly in complex immediate scenarios, highlighting its clinical superiority for minimizing deviations under elevated lateral forces.