Implant Conference

I just returned from a meeting of the American Association  of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons (AAOMS) Dental Implant Conference 2013.  I was a guest of Dr. Loetscher who is an oral and maxillofacial surgeon here in Atlanta.  Although most of the attendees were oral surgeons, the conference was more than just surgery.

It started out with a presentation about dental esthetics  presented by a new favorite lecturer of mine, Dr.Chiche.  He reviewed key determinants of good esthetic  design no matter if natural teeth or implants are involved.   The conference went on to discuss options available in the materials used to restore implants like titanium or zirconia.  Of course there were plenty of surgical techniques presented.  Most of the emphasis was on improving outcomes or preventing complications.  Among the surgical options,  there was a lot of emphasis on the use of grafting materials and correct placement of implants relative to the bone and  teeth.   Another presenter identified complications relating to diabetes  as a systemic illness that has a profound effect on surgical outcomes.

There were cases presented  that illustrated the techniques  necessary  to improve the results of relatively basic implant procedures that only involve single teeth.  Other cases presented complex multi-year treatment that involved significant surgery and reconstruction of the whole mouth.  In either situation the attention to detail and understanding of the various options available will have a profound effect on the outcome.  It is important that the restorative dentist and the lab communicate with the surgeon  with the knowledge of the issues that each one faces.

It was good to see how far the use of dental implants have come in just a couple of decades of use in this country.  It has become a predictable treatment that can be used under a wide variety of circumstances depending on the goals of the patient.  But there is always room for improvement.  It was good to see that over 3 thousand people took several days to improve their results in providing dental care.