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  Posted by: Dental Design      16th January 2022

For dentists, it is important to provide high standards of patient care. When a patient requires surgical rehabilitation, you want to ensure they receive only the best, with predictable and long-lasting results. A range of systems and products are available today, so choosing the most suitable solution for each case can be challenging. For many years, short dental implants were believed to be less able to support biting forces than longer counterparts and their use could lead to an unsuccessful treatment. Dr Geoffrey Pullen, clinical director of Bicon Marketing limited, has been placing and restoring implants since 1989. His inspiring ADI webinar – Short vs long: who is right, who is wrong? – explains that short implants work as well as longer alternatives. Geoffrey sets the scene for what to expect: 

“I’m 66 and still happily working in general dentistry. I started doing dental implants in the late 80s, when they were still relatively developmental. Most other GDPs weren’t offering this treatment in the early days.

“I used various systems, but to be honest I found that many of them were over-complicated. I wanted to simplify the things I was doing and how I was doing them. I started using this system called Bicon, and my career changed tack dramatically – it worked really well and helped me offer practical solutions for many more people.”

Geoffrey shares how his interest in short dental implants was sparked:

“Two clinicians had taken over the manufacturing and distribution of these dental implants in Boston, and asked me and another colleague to help market them in the UK. I was drawn to it – the Boston clinicians said the short dental implants would work well, that there wasn’t really a need for longer versions. I discovered that they lend a massive advantage – less grafting and a simple connection, plus the restorative side was the same as normal crown and bridge work.”

Geoffrey explains the advantages of short dental implants and how they’ve simplified the restorative process for him:

“The connection is incredibly simple, with the abutment fitting into the short dental implant by a locking taper. A lot less can go wrong when compared their traditional counterpart, because the shorter products are much stronger, the connection is stable and therefore they are very reliable.

“I attended a local ADI meeting with Andrew Dawood who spoke about complications regarding connections, but they weren’t pertinent to what I did. I found this fascinating – risks that standard dental implant users had to consider just didn’t apply to me. Obviously, this means the saving of a lot of time and stress, which doesn’t go unappreciated by all involved.

“Of course, nothing in this world is perfect. I’ve used short dental implants for 22 years, and have realised what I can and cannot do with them. I go into more detail about where and when they should be used in my webinar.”

Companies are striving to improve and simplify their systems: whilst this demonstrates that improvements are being made, dental professionals may focus on the marketing and not the product. Geoffrey suggests to explore the science behind the product and not be enticed by the latest marketing. He also encourages open-mindedness towards different concepts, such as the short dental implants, which could potentially simplify workflows and reduce complications. Geoffrey comments:

“Why is there confusion regarding short and long dental implants? Studies suggest you don’t need the longer versions. But most dentists can’t help but think in terms of carpentry, that the longer they are the better… it’s quite difficult to shake off that attitude.

“By using a simple system, you’ll potentially reduce stress, improve the patient experience and cut treatment time and the amount of grafting you do, which is always a bonus.

Dental implants don’t have to be complicated – this is something I really try to hammer home in my webinar.

“It boils down to this – the dental implant itself is just a tool. When you learn to understand what you have in your hands, you can use it accordingly. A simplified system will help you provide treatment effectively and reduced any possible stress.”

Are you ready for a new skill?

Geoffrey’s webinar, alongside many others, is available to ADI members. Their wealth of convenient and stimulating material is indispensable to dental professionals looking to expand and advance their knowledge in the field of dental implantology and soft tissue management.

What are your opinions on short dental implants? Are you confident in the systems you use, or are you interested in using something different? Why not consider becoming an ADI member so you can watch Geoffrey’s webinar, as well as other inspiring and educational resources!

 

For more information about the ADI, or to join, please visit the website

www.adi.org.uk


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