The NobelGuide® concept: guided implant surgery

Transferring a 3D plan to surgery

With guided surgery, implant positions are planned on a 3D scan and a surgical guide is produced. During surgery the drills pass through sleeves in the guide. Nobel Biocare's guided surgery concept was first cleared by FDA in 2005.¹

In short

First FDA 510(k): K050393 "The Guided Surgery Concept", 2005.¹
Can allow smaller incisions (sometimes "flapless").
Accuracy depends on scan quality, guide fit and surgical experience.

Benefits and limits

Potentially smaller incisions and shorter surgery.
Implants placed where the teeth are planned.
Guides can deviate slightly; surgeons still check during surgery.
Needs good mouth opening; not suitable for every case.

Surgical guide — Illustration of a printed surgical guide. Not a Nobel Biocare product image.

Clinical review pending. Facts on this page are checked against the sources listed below (regulatory records, manufacturer documents, peer-reviewed research). A named clinician will review it before we call it medically reviewed.
Last updated 28 Sep 2026 · How we review

Sources

Regulatory recordFDA 510(k) K050393 — The Guided Surgery Concept (NobelGuide) — U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 2005-05-04. Accessed 28 Sep 2026.

Educational information only. The choice of implant system depends on your anatomy, restorative plan, bone quality and the clinician's assessment. This website does not recommend a specific implant for you.

Entity type	Guided-surgery concept
First FDA 510(k)	K050393, 2005¹

The NobelGuide® concept: guided implant surgery

Benefits and limits

Sources

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