Implant complications are often inadvertent sequelae of improper diagnosis, treatment planning, surgical method, and placement. This can be overcome by using surgical guides for implant positioning. Ideal placement of the implant facilitates the establishment of favourable forces on the implants and the prosthetic components as well as ensures an esthetic outcome. This article reviews the ideal requisites of a surgical guide along with basic methods of surgical guide fabrication and certain recent advances in this field.