The "Lip-Lift" Technique: Your Plan B for Edentulous Surgical Guides

The Struggle is Real...
We’ve all been there. You have an edentulous patient ready for implants, but the Dual-Scan protocol just isn’t an option. Maybe the existing denture is ill-fitting, contains a "snowstorm" of metal artifacts, or the patient doesn't have one at all.

Does that mean you have to give up on a high-precision surgical guide? Of course not!

When a Dual-Scan can’t be done, the biggest enemy for surgical guide is the merging. When the cheeks and lips rest against the ridge, they mask the soft tissue contour, making it nearly impossible to accurately merge the data.

The Solution: The “Lip-Lift” Technique
Introduced by our guided surgery pioneer Dr. Scott Ganz, this technique is a game-changer for surgical guide designs. The key is to physically separate the soft tissue of the lip/cheek from the ridge to reveal a clear, recognizable contour on the CT scan.

How to execute it in 3 easy steps:
Retract: Place cotton rolls deep in the buccal and labial vestibules just before the CBCT scan.
Create the Gap: This "inflates" the vestibule, creating a distinct "air gap" around the ridge.
The Digital Merge: With that clear air gap, we can accurately import your IOS digital impression and merge it to the visible soft tissue profile on the CBCT.

With a proper merging. Designing a soft tissue supported guide is just a breeze using the DAS guided kit.

ATTN: For fully edentulous patients, the Dual-Scan protocol remains the Gold Standard. While the Lip-Lift is an excellent alternative, there is always a risk of deviation compared to a properly executed Dual-Scan.