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I meetings _ DGZI fered significantly, and we often could not help them satisfactory on a long term basis. The scien- tific consensus was that a bone transplanted to the alveolar process would melt like butter in the sun. Augmentationseemedtobenonsensical.Thepossi- bilityofanimplantationwaskeptunderwraps,even in the specialist press. However, it was also the time when subperiostal leaf- and/or pin-shaped im- plants, and enossal bone screws smoothed the way for implantology’s subsequent success (for refer- ence see studies made by Prof Grafelmann). In comparison, Prof Dr Dr Frank Palm, Konstanz, summarizedtoday’simplantologystatusasfollows: “Functional examination, possible augmentation, 3-Dplanning,andconnectivetissuetransplantsare routine implantological options used daily.” In pre- vious times the damaging of a nerve was not con- sidered to be a crucial mistake, but today we are ea- ger to avoid such damage. Simply dye it and make it visible in a three-dimensional image! Tissue regen- eration has become much more certain, and long- term success really means long-term success, not justtwoyearsplusX.Wealsofindsolutionsformore complexcasesaccordingtothepatient’swishes.We still cannot completely avoid bone resorption after implantation, but it does not exceed the extent of common physiological resorption. Prof Palm also spoke about a number of still- open questions: Immediate loading, periimplantitis therapy, unclear state of the art in case of reduced diameter implants. On the second day of the con- gressProfPalmchairedaspecialpanelofshortpre- sentations dedicated to “Minis, Shorties and others on trial”. The speakers were Prof Dr Christoph Bourauel, Prof Dr Joachim Hermann (a “grandee” of implantology), DGPro chairman Prof Dr Michael Walter, Dr Dr Martin Bonsmann, and Prof Dr Dipl.- Ing. Ernst Jürgen Richter. Following this session there was a lively and at times even controversial discussion among the experts on the podium in re- sponse to questions from the audience, and a friendlybutalsopointedexchangeofprosandcons was set forth. It became clear that many current is- sues are still not resolved. Implantology remains a dynamic field, and there is still much left to be dis- covered, clinically examined and newly developed! “Weshouldofferimplantologyinamuchmoreself- confidentmanner” Overall, DGZI’s 40th International Annual Con- gress provided an excellent overview of all relevant implantologicaltopicsunderdiscussiontoday.Prof. Terheyden, Kassel, outlined aspects concerning the Le-Fort-I-osteotomy. In particular, he called on all dentists to show more self-confidence. Alveolar ridge atrophy is a disease which requires treatment andalsoessentialfinancialsupport.Ifindoubt,even a three to four days hospital stay should also be in- corporated—such a stay would never be called into question in the case of, for example, knee prosthe- sis, because it is common in other medical disci- plinestoinformpatientsinamuchmoreaggressive manner. ProfDrWernerGötz,Bonn,explainedthebiolog- ical basics of osseointegration. “It is advantageous foradentistcarryingoutanimplantationthatbone cellsinthejawarehighlyosteogenous.Thisissome- times a reason to be envied by other medical disci- plines.” It is interesting that nowadays the old dogma of unloaded healing is of less importance. However, the implant-bone-interface, which en- ables deliberate healing, is not yet well understood. We know that osteoblasts prefer a medium rough implant surface. Osseointegration can be improved by blasting, etching or anodizing. In future, a com- pletely different concept might come to the fore: a new periodontal apparatus could be constructed using a specially cultivated tissue. DrStephenWallace,USA,reportedonthecurrent possibilities of bone augmentation in the course of a sinus floor elevation, which are already applied overseas.Hepresentedinparticularthemushroom- shaped diamond-coated dental grinding instru- mentsthatareusedforformingroundandovalwin- dows in the lateral walls. He also introduced artifi- ciallyproducedrecombinanthumangrowthfactors 40 I implants4_2010