A
preliminary drill is the first bone drill made during the process of
implantation.
Here you can see an upper jaw without teeth – the patient is about to
receive an implant. The preliminary drill is used as an aid to
orientation, which provides a good overview of the quality of the bone.
First, the mucuous membrane is removed using a puncher, and then the
preliminary drill is performed.
Under continuous cooling, the drill is gently pressed into the bone, and
goes slower or faster depending on the quality of the bone.
The directional pin is then placed into this preliminary opening, and
helps to decide where to start the next preliminary drill. This helps to
find the right direction to set implants, and supplement them with teeth
later on.
Earlier, the general view on implants was that they had to be set into
the bone just like the patient's own teeth – now we know that this is
not necessary – we use the available bone. But still, we try to set
implants parallel to each other, if possible – which makes technical
care much easier.