Article #3

Why Surgical Guides Specifically?

I was driven to focus on surgical guides by basic necessity, frustration, and a sense of indignation.

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In practice, while still working as an orthopedist, I frequently encountered situations where surgeons placed implants not where the prosthetic plan actually required, but rather in locations that were convenient for them. As a young doctor, I found it difficult to convey my perspective to more experienced colleagues, and at times it seemed utterly impossible. But is it really so hard to place an implant in the ideal position so that the screw channels emerge in the fossae and central fissures as planned?

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The solution seemed obvious. I needed to start placing implants for my own patients myself. I began attending relevant training courses and, when I felt ready, started accepting implantology cases. But when it came time to replace healing abutments with impression copings and take impressions, I realized that my implants were positioned roughly the same way as my colleagues had been placing them. This led to some sobering thoughts – maybe people aren't placing implants poorly without reason. Perhaps positioning implants perfectly is some kind of extraordinary skill? Maybe I would remain at this level, like many of my colleagues.

Is this really our ceiling? Approximately here, roughly there...

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I decided that the situation needed to change and that my technique had to improve. It was then that I first noticed surgical guides, which at the time seemed like an exotic solution. Only a handful of laboratories produced them, and the cost of a navigation kit was staggering. While working at the clinic, I encountered indifference from management toward adopting new technologies — after all, "everyone is already placing implants just fine." And the prosthetics afterward were "also fine." And no one complained.

No one... everything's fine...

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I realized I needed to take matters into my own hands. I began gathering information independently and funding my own education. I learned about the Direct Cut Drill protocol and discovered that neither original drills nor sleeves were supplied. I started searching for drills with similar properties and found that Dentium drills had the required characteristics. I managed to organize the production of zirconia sleeves. This marked the beginning of a new phase of work. I accumulated experience using this navigation approach and achieved excellent results.

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Later, I began teaching this methodology. This became the foundation of the very first course on "implementing the production of surgical guides." That was back in 2016!

Here I am with doctors during one of the very first individual training sessions on implementing the production of surgical guides in a clinic.

Later, the popularity of surgical guides grew.

I'd like to think I played some part in that. The market began to fill with ready-made solutions for navigation kits and various software programs. This made me very happy.
The amount of work didn't decrease at all. Initially, I was implementing guide production in clinics that wanted to be the best and were the first to adopt new, breakthrough technologies. Over time, however, clinics began adopting surgical guides simply to keep up with the competition.

I started traveling frequently to different clinics to deliver this training. Gradually, the need for zirconia sleeves and the Direct Cut Drill protocol faded away. Almost every distributor for almost every implant system brought their own native navigation kit to the market.

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And once again, we encountered the limitations of "brand-name" kits. I wanted to engage in serious surgery—major full-arch cases, placing long implants, utilizing paranasal implants, pterygoids, and trans-sinus placement—yet there were no clear solutions available for this type of surgery.

So, I once again took the initiative to create my own navigation kit. It features specialized flattening drills, main drills ranging from 8 to 30 millimeters in length, and a unique sharpening design that allows for efficient drilling in clockwise rotation while condensing bone in counterclockwise rotation. And much more. I poured all my experience and every idea about what constitutes a near-perfect navigational surgical kit into this set.

The result of my efforts has been a great number of grateful patients, many satisfied doctors, collaborations with major implant and impression material manufacturers, and numerous trips and professional connections.

And also, the birth of the "ImplantNavigator" project, which has evolved into a group of companies. Its areas of activity include the production of instruments for navigational surgery, a separate division dedicated to developing specialized video equipment, the manufacturing of titanium guides for zygomatic implantation, and, of course, educational activities.

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In terms of educational programs, our special achievement is the carefully designed courses in navigational surgery, where the most important part is the continuous support, feedback, and — I emphasize — collaborative work on patients.

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To work better and live an awesome life. To be proud of your work. To feel incredible while you're at work. So that prosthodontists squeal, "We want to work with this doctor because prosthetics after their surgery is an absolute pleasure." So that when you look at your postoperative control scans, everything is so beautifully done that it makes you bubble up with excitement inside. So that you can feel like the most valuable doctor not just in your clinic, but in the entire job market.

This is what we truly need from our profession. This is why I teach navigational surgery. This is what I teach—not just how to make implants stand straighter.

If my philosophy resonates with you and you’re serious about advancing your skills, fill out the form below, and let’s schedule a call. During our conversation:

YOU WILL:

Share what you’d like to learn and what knowledge or skills you feel you’re missing.

I WILL:

Explain what we can teach you;
Walk you through how the training works;
Help you choose the right path.

WE WILL:

Identify how to strengthen YOUR practice to help you achieve your goals faster;
Discuss course start dates and next steps if you decide to begin training.

Sign up for a meeting where I will personally answer all your questions about training and surgical guides.

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