In implantology, among the key choices, to obtain predictable results, it’s essential to establish, using CBCT, the bone site where to insert the implants; these sites must be identified on the mucosa and secondarily, during the surgical phase, on the cortical bone. Surgical templates are a valid aid especially in complex cases which require sev-eral implants. In cases of single implant, on the other hand, surgical guides are rarely used and the implant is inserted freehand and the identification of the implant site on the oral mucosa is more difficult; for this reason the clinician uses the teeth in the arch as a ref-erence. This experimental study is based on the use of a thermo-printed mask, con-taining radiopaque references which, worn by edentulous patients during the execu-tion of the CBCT, helps to evaluate the identification of the implant sites on the patient when surgical guides are not used and the free hand technique is adopted. This method is certainly reserved for experienced operators capable of identifying the correct angle of the implants with the freehand technique. The level of experience remains fundamental in the clinician's decision whether or not to use surgical guides; in fact, doctors with little experience should use surgical guides even in the simplest cases to reduce the risk of error.

In implantology, among the key choices, to obtain predictable results, it is essential to establish, on the basis of radiographic examinations, the bone site where to insert the implants; these selected locations must be identified first on the mucosa and then on the cortical bone. Surgical guides represent a valid aid especially in complex cases with more than 3 or 4 implants, whereas in single implant cases they are rarely used. This study evaluates the clinical precision with which the implant sites, on the patient's mucosa, are identified in surgical procedures planned without any templates. The verification of this precision is carried out through thermo-printed templates with radiopaque references which could however help the clinician to identify these sites in a simple, rapid and economical way.

Welding between two or more pieces of metal is a widely used practice in various fields of medicine such as dentistry which also makes use of the support of dental laboratories where complex welding procedures are applied. The welding techniques available today are many and also very different from each other; they often require very different background knowledge, just as the results obtained may differ. Welds can be made at various stages of making a product that will be used on the patient; for example some welds are made directly by the manufacturer during the industrial processing phase. We then move on to the more common welding techniques carried out in dental laboratories and finally we also arrive at the intraoral welding carried out by the clinician inside the patient's oral cavity. This enormous variety of conditions in which those who practice welding can find themselves presupposes the application of the most appropriate technique; this review looks at the different methods and fields of application.