Objective: To test if using a CAD/CAM system might reduce the necessity of bone augmentation in patients with atrophic maxillary arches before implant therapy. Method and Materials: Twenty male and female patients consecutively scheduled for bone augmentation of the jaw before implant surgery were included in this study, with a total of 29 jaws (maxillary and mandibular) to analyze for the implant-supported fixed prosthesis group and 19 maxillary arches for the implant-supported removable prosthesis group. NobelGuide System (Nobel Biocare), Autocad System (Autodesk), and routine manual CT measurements of available bone were used in this study. Results: The total results of the mean values of the fixed prosthesis group plus the mean values of the removable prosthesis group showed a statistically significant difference between the NobelGuide intervention score and both manual (P = .004) and Autocad (P = .001) measurements. Conclusions: The NobelGuide System represents a viable diagnostic device to reduce the entity or avoid bone reconstructive surgery before implant placements in the atrophic maxilla and mandible. (Quintessence Int 2010;41:809–814)

Key words: diagnosis, oral implant, radiology, surgical guides