Methods for placing an implant analog in a physical model of the patient's mouth

An implant-analog placement assembly comprising:

• a dental implant analog;
• a physical model of a mouth of a patient, the physical model of the mouth including at least one tooth and an opening to receive the implant analog and sized such that there is a gap between the dental implant analog and walls defining the opening, wherein the dental implant is to be placed at least partially within the physical model at a position corresponding to a location of a dental implant previously installed in the mouth of the patient;
• a rapid-prototype placement structure configured to be removably attached to the dental implant analog and the at least one tooth, the rapid-prototype placement structure consisting of a single material, and the rapid-prototype placement structure being fabricated based on scan data corresponding to structures in the mouth of the patient, the structures including an informational marker indicating the location of the dental implant previously installed in the mouth of the patient, the rapid-prototype placement structure being configured to be fitted on the physical model of the mouth of the patient such that the dental implant analog is at least partially located within the opening of the physical model at the position corresponding to the location of the dental implant previously installed in the mouth of the patient;
• and
• an abutment coupled between the dental implant analog and the rapid-prototype placement structure, wherein the gap between the dental implant analog and walls defining the opening is present when the rapid-prototype placement structure is fitted on the physical model of the mouth of the patient.