Are Robotic-Assisted Dental Implants more Accurate Than Freehand Surgery?

A recent clinical study revealed that robotic-assisted dental implant surgery offers significantly higher accuracy in implant placement when compared to traditional freehand techniques. However, the advanced robotic method requires a slightly longer operation time. The research was published in the Clinical Oral Implants Research journal followed patients for 6 months post-surgery and found no differences in safety or implant survival rates between the two techniques.

The study included a total of 24 patients, with a median age of 36, and 18 of them were female. The patients requiring single-tooth implant restorations were randomly assigned to either robotic-assisted or freehand surgery. Jiaxian Chen and team evaluated implant accuracy by comparing preoperative planning software data with immediate postoperative CBCT scans. They also recorded intraoperative and postoperative complications while documenting the time taken for implant placement.

The results of this study demonstrated a clear advantage in precision for robotic-assisted implants. Measurements of implant positioning deviations showed that the robotic-assisted method had an average platform global deviation of 0.70 mm, when compared to 1.24 mm in the freehand group. The apex global deviation was 0.70 mm for robotic-assisted surgery but significantly higher at 2.13 mm for freehand placement. Similarly, the angular deviation was much lower in the robotic group at 1.09°, whereas freehand placement had a deviation of 7.43°—a notable difference affecting the alignment of the implant.

Despite its higher accuracy, robotic-assisted surgery required more time, averaging 18.8 minutes per procedure. However, the study found no difference in intraoperative and postoperative complication rates between these 2 groups, and both methods achieved a 100% implant survival rate at the six-month follow-up.

While the robotic-assisted approach offers a clear advantage in precision, the study suggest that improvements in robot system design and registration could help streamline the process, making it more efficient and accessible for widespread clinical use. Overall, these findings highlight the growing role of robotics in dental surgery by emphasizing their potential to enhance precision and improve patient outcomes.

Reference:

Chen, J., Wang, Y., Bai, Y., Chen, Y., Chen, Z., Yan, Q., & Zhang, Y. (2025). Accuracy, safety, and efficiency in robotic‐assisted vs. Freehand dental implant surgery: A 6‐month follow‐up randomized controlled trial. Clinical Oral Implants Research. https://doi.org/10.1111/clr.14413