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ePaper created 2016-09-30, 16:42:46 | version 1.38.0
opinion 25th EAO Annual Scientific Meeting 6 n Technologies such as cone beam computed tomography (CBCT), intra- oral scanners and CAD/CAM tech- niques have introduced a computer- guided workflow into dentistry, spe- cifically implantology. While a com- puter-guided approach can make treatment more precise, safe and predictable, it requires a practised, experienced and focused practi- tioner to implement a digital work- flow. today international spoke with European Association for Osseointe- gration (EAO) congress presenter Dr Daniel Wismeijer, Professor of Oral Implantology and Prosthodontics at the Academic Centre for Dentistry Amsterdam in the Netherlands, about the problems that implantolo- gists are still facing in using digital technologies and the future of com- puter-guided implant surgery. today international: Prof. Wismeijer, with the emergence of new digital technologies, novel treatment ap- proaches have become available to dentists—particularly in the field of implant dentistry. While some im- plantologists embrace these new technologies, others are still scepti- cal of them. Why do you think that is? Prof. Daniel Wismeijer: Novel technologies do not only affect im- plantology; they introduce digitisa- tion into other areas of dental prac- tice too. Consider the applications of intra-oral scanners and CEREC (Dentsply Sirona) machines and the use of new technologies in planning and designing customised implant superstructures. While some den- tists use quite a lot of these tools, oth- ers do not use them at all and leave everything up to the dental techni- cians. This largely depends on the dentist and his or her attitude to- wards digital technologies and digiti- sation in general—be it at home or in the dental practice. Then, of course, dentists have to invest in this sort of technology, as well as learn it and be prepared to unlearn their current practices. This too depends on the dentist: is he or she ready to use new technologies or would he or she prefer to stick with what he or she had learnt previ- ously? On the one hand, we see many young dentists start working with these new technologies imme- diately and thereby become very ex- perienced in new treatment ap- proaches. On the other hand, den- tists who are more experienced in established treatment protocols are, of course, less inclined to unlearn the old and start learning the new technologies. In the “Emerging technologies: Head to head” session at the EAO con- gress, you will be talking about com- puter-guided implant surgery. What advantages does such surgery offer? Has it already proven itself in re- search and clinical practice, and what results can it achieve com- pared with free-hand surgery? In my opinion, guided surgery helps dentists become increasingly precise in our work. Digital technolo- gies are proving themselves in im- plant dentistry and I think that they are improving with time. If the prac- titioner can plan up front where he or she wants to place an implant and what sort of superstructure he or she wants to put on top of that, and if he or she can also place the implant in that exact position and implement a superstructure that fits precisely, AD Interview: “Dentists cannot blindly rely on the computer-guided approach” “Dynamic navigation systems are the next step towards robotisation in implant dentistry.”