Patent ID: 8870574

Claim:
A method of placing a dental implant and prosthesis or abutment in a patient's mouth, the method comprising the acts of: receiving a 3-D anatomic model based on hard tissue data derived from a computed tomography scan of the patient's mouth and soft tissue data derived from an intra-oral scan or a dental impression of the patient's mouth; scanning a cast model of the patient's mouth to obtain cast data; merging the 3-D anatomic model with the cast data to obtain merged data; by use of the merged data, developing a master cast by installing into the cast model a dental implant analog to replicate a dental implant at a desired location; and developing, by use of the master cast, a surgical guide to be used in the placement of the dental implant in the patient's mouth, the surgical guide including at least one opening generally adjacent to the dental implant analog; wherein the surgical guide is configured to be placed in the patient's mouth such that the dental implant may be installed through the at least one opening in the surgical guide.