When does a CAD-CAM implant surgical guide actually save enough time to justify its investment? When it enables flapless surgery and produces an hour or more in saved time per implant placement, which is the typical case for most implant procedures using these guides. The mechanics behind the saving are substantial. Traditional implant placement requires the surgeon to raise a flap, place the implant freehand or with a basic surgical guide, suture, and manage the soft tissue healing that follows. The full procedure consumes considerable chair time and recovery time. A CAD-CAM surgical guide, developed from preoperative cone-beam imaging and digital [...]