Multi-layer surgical guide

Abstract

A drill guide employs multiple layers of materials with different mechanical properties in order to achieve concurrent goals of rigidity, fit and retention. For example, a rigid exterior shell and a soft interior may be used together to securely and precisely fit a drill guide to a surgical site.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for fabricating a drill guide comprising:
 obtaining a digital jaw model of one or more intraoral structures of a patient;   creating a surgical plan for a dental implant in a jaw of the patient, the surgical plan including an axis for the dental implant, wherein the axis is specified relative to the digital jaw model;   creating a physical jaw model of the one or more intraoral structures, the physical jaw model including a feature aligned to the axis for the dental implant;   placing a metal guide tube over the feature;   vacuum forming a first layer of a pliable material onto the physical jaw model; and   vacuum forming a second layer of a rigid material onto the first layer, wherein the metal guide tube is captured within the drill guide formed from the first layer and the second layer to provide the drill guide with a metal tube for aligning a drill to the axis during a drilling procedure.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the rigid material is a thermoplastic material. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising forming a hole through at least one of the first layer and the second layer, wherein the hole is aligned to the metal guide tube. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein creating the physical jaw model includes creating the physical jaw model with a rapid prototyping system based upon the digital jaw model. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the rapid prototyping system includes a stereolithography system. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the rapid prototyping system includes a computerized milling system. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the rapid prototyping system includes one or more of a fused deposition modeling system, a selective laser sintering system, and a polyjet printing system. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first layer includes ethylene vinyl acetate. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the second layer includes polystyrene. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising obtaining the digital jaw model from a scan of the patient. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the digital jaw model is based upon one or more of a Computed Tomography scan, a Cone Beam Computed Tomography scan, and an x-ray scan, and a Magnetic Resonance Imaging scan. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the digital jaw model is based upon one or more of an optical scan and a laser scan. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising obtaining the digital jaw model from a physical impression of the jaw of the patient. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the second layer includes acrylonitrile butadiene styrene. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first layer is provided for vacuum forming with a thickness of about 0.040 inches. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the second layer is provided for vacuum forming with a thickness of about 0.040 inches. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first layer and the second layer are combined as a multi-ply vacuum-forming material. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the multi-ply vacuum-forming material includes a polystyrene surface and an ethylene vinyl acetate surface pre-laminated together. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the feature of the physical jaw model aligned to the axis for the dental implant includes a post. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the feature of the physical jaw model aligned to the axis for the dental implant includes a cavity.