The Association of Dental Implantology (ADI) combined fun with high-quality education during its recent Team Congress, where hundreds of delegates enjoyed internationally-renowned speakers, a major trade exhibition and various social events. Themed “Individual Excellence or Team Triumphs”, the dynamic programme gave all members of the dental implant team food for thought, as well as inspiring many to up their game in practice.

ADI President, Amit Patel, opened the event by thanking the amazing ADI team who had made this record-breaking Congress a possibility. He was also grateful to the Board, who “had the vision to help move the ADI forwards”, including the establishment of the brand-new Next Generation Committee for up-and-coming dentists new to the implant field. 

When it comes to reaching for the stars, there was no better way to kick things off than with a keynote from someone who knows what it’s like to go to space. Tim Peake, military helicopter pilot and ESA astronaut demonstrated that no matter what the challenge, all you need for success is the right people, the right preparation and the right plan. He shared some fascinating insights into his remarkable career, demonstrating that with passion, communication and collaboration, even the greatest obstacles can be overcome.

With delegates enthused and ready to learn, the programme got off to an incredible start with Ricardo Kern and Ramón Gómez Meda discussing soft tissue tunnelling techniques and the importance of preserving teeth as a priority. It was interesting to see the latest research on GTR and the benefits this can afford before implants are considered to restore teeth, and delegates were reminded of the breadth of treatment options at their disposal.

The programme later split into various conference streams dedicated to each member of the implant team, with the Plenary Programme continuing to provide delegates with expert insight into various concepts, technologies and ideologies. Howard Gluckman discussed the management of complex defects in the aesthetic zone, offering a frank and open perspective on how these can be approached for success.

Pier Gallo maintained the same level of honesty when talking about vertical ridge augmentation. He emphasised the importance of patient selection for success with this procedure, also discussing the defect itself, the barrier, bone filling material fixation, flap management and suturing. With the focus today on both functional and aesthetic outcomes, soft tissue grafting has become an essential part of implantology, though complications remain and must always be actively mitigated.

In another popular session, Tomas Albrektsson explored the role that the immune system plays in osteointegration and marginal bone loss, suggesting that a very delicate balance must be achieved between osteoblasts and osteoplasty to achieve a good result. He explained that implantology is actually taking advantage of the body’s immune response to a foreign body and this must be understood in order to reduce the risk of complications. In many cases, bacteria are not the culprit for problems and even those considered ‘sick’ implants in the literature can still last in the mouth for several years if they are treated correctly.

Throughout the programme, digital dentistry featured heavily as a means by which to achieve the best treatment outcomes and journeys for many patients. Martin Wanendeya provided his take on the digital world, offering a wealth of advice on how delegates could make the most of the technologies available.

The lectures were complimented by a morning of hands-on workshops hosted by various implant manufacturers and suppliers. With sessions delivered by Anthogyr, Dentsply Sirona, Geistlich, Osstem, MegaGen and Sweden & Martina, delegates had the opportunity to try out new techniques and refine their practical skills in a range of areas.

Just as well-received were the social and networking events, providing a chance for delegates, speakers and exhibitors to relax with a drink or two and enjoy some downtime with friends and colleagues. The Congress Drinks were followed by a fantastic Industry Party, and the Congress Dinner on Friday night, which carried the Star Wars theme throughout with some attendees enjoying fancy dress. ADI President Amit Patel even chose to cut his 27+ inches of hair in aid of charity, raising an exceptional £16,000 for Wells on Wheels. Thank you to everyone who donated and help make it such a brilliant evening!

Initial feedback has been excellent from delegates, with comments including those from Dr James Brazier, Shire Court Dental Practice:

“I was interested to see Ricardo Kern whose surgery is depressingly good, and Martin Wanendeya’s digital knowledge is phenomenal. It’s also been good to see friends and look around the trade fair. The ADI is always very friendly and I also really like how Amit has been as President, letting others take the limelight rather than it being all about him. I would always recommend the ADI Team Congress – plus it’s very well priced.”

Dr Usman Riaz, Renovo Dental referral centre, said:

“The quality of the speakers has been key – they are world-renowned. I have flown around the globe to see them before and this is the first time I’ve seen them all in the UK, which is incredible. Things have changed so much in the field in the last few years, it’s important to learn from people who have done this before. I would absolutely recommend the ADI Team Congress to others!”

This is certainly not an event to miss for anyone interested or involved in dental implants. Be sure to join us for the Team Congress 2025 and why not join the ADI to enjoy various membership benefits in the meantime?

For more information, visit www.adi.org.uk

Become a member today!

Making mistakes is a natural part of career development – it is what we learn from, and use as an incentive to find a more efficient course of action for the future. In dentistry, a skill-heavy profession, mistakes are a good source of education and learning, but as you flourish in your role, easily-avoidable mistakes can be costly.

For example, a poorly-taken impression can throw a spanner in the works for the entire workflow, forcing you to not only recall the patient for another appointment, but spend time and money retaking the impression. You may have to potentially remake the prosthesis should it not fit properly. Especially in today’s climate, where many dental practices are short-staffed and are having to watch costs more closely, the possibility of having to retake/remake an impression should be kept to a minimum as best possible. Traditional impression materials are still a steadfast part of many clinicians’ workflows – how can many common errors be avoided to ensure a successful outcome?  

Distortion

Distortion is a commonly-encountered error, of which there are several causes. For example, it may occur as the result of exceeding the product’s working time, or when using an incompatible tray and when removing it from the mouth.[i]

It is likely that most clinicians experience distortion when taking impressions, but with a few simple steps you can help to minimise this risk. First and foremost, choosing the right material is key to preventing most, if not all commonly encountered errors, especially material distortion in most cases. Many materials on the market will come with varying setting time options, so be sure to choose wisely. Being mindful of storage temperature will also help to minimise this risk. Tray selection is vital here, too. Ideally, a tray made of metal, acrylic or plastic should be used, and it must also be sturdy enough to avoid tray deformation. The right shape is vital, covering the patient’s teeth without touching the soft tissues of the mouth, to ensure all detail from the full arch is captured.

Inadequate setting

It is important to always follow the manufacturer’s instructions to ensure the material has set properly, and ensure the material is stored appropriately. To further avoid inadequate setting, the impression material must be mixed sufficiently. Many clinicians may opt for hand mixing the materials, but this can take time and the margin for error may be wider – automatic mixing can help to speed up the process and is relatively straightforward. Poor setting of vinyl polysiloxane (VPS) material in particular may occur if you wear latex gloves, as they can affect the polymerisation of the VPS.[ii] As such, it may be best to choose nitrile or non-latex gloves when handling the material.

No margin for error

For a well-fitting, successful final outcome, you must capture adequate marginal detail – which is a crucial step. As such, marginal tearing must be avoided where possible. Again, the right material here is vital – select one that has a high tear resistance, and be sure to allow it to completely set prior to removing the impression from the mouth. The gingival tissues must be retracted so that you can capture the prepared area successfully, recording the finish line and ensuring the thickness of the gingival sulcus is sufficient.[iii] You may choose a retraction cord or paste for this endeavour – a high quality product will ensure that you are able to gently displace the gingival tissues atraumatically for the most predictable outcome.

There are other issues that can occur with margins, including the incomplete reproduction of preparation margins. This can also be the result of poor retraction, but it can occur due to blood and saliva contamination – the prepared site should be thoroughly rinsed and dried, with bleeding stemmed using an adequate retraction method and a haemostatic agent. Contamination can cause voids on the margins, in addition to an inappropriate syringe technique. Ensure that you keep the mix tip of the syringe immersed in the paste to help avoid the formation of air bubbles.

Pair the right products with the right techniques

Many commonly-encountered mistakes can be avoided when you choose the right materials, follow manufacturer’s instructions and use simple, yet effective techniques. To help clinicians streamline their workflow and reduce the risk of error, 3M Oral Care has partnered with five experts to create Success Simplified, a useful resource that details all the steps of an indirect restorative workflow. Clinicians are recommended the best 3M products for each stage, with simple, actionable techniques for successful outcomes. Available as an on-demand webinar or a downloadable booklet, Success Simplified is your key to beautiful, long-lasting results.

Mistakes are an inevitable aspect of professional life, but they can be minimised when you have developed a simple yet effective foundation of materials and techniques to support your workflow.

Visit the website today to watch the webinar or download your FREE booklet here: https://www.3m.co.uk/3M/en_GB/dental-uk/indirect-restorations/success-simplified/

For more information, call 08705 360036 or visit www.3m.co.uk/Dental 

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[i] Kulkarni, M.M. (2015). Dimensional Changes of Alginate Dental Impression Materials-An Invitro Study. JOURNAL OF CLINICAL AND DIAGNOSTIC RESEARCH. [online] Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4576653/ [Accessed 31 Jan. 2023].

[ii]  Kumar, P. and Aggarwal, H. (2015). Glove over glove technique for manipulation of vinyl polysiloxane impression material with latex gloves. The Journal of Indian Prosthodontic Society, [online] 15(3), p.289. doi:10.4103/0972-4052.164916.

[iii] Rajambigai, M.A., Raja, S.R., Soundar, S.I.J. and Kandasamy, M. (2016). Quick, painless, and atraumatic gingival retraction: An overview of advanced materials. Journal of pharmacy & bioallied sciences, [online] 8(Suppl 1), pp.S5–S7. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5074041/#:~:text=The%20goal%20of%20gingival%20retraction [Accessed 31 Jan. 2023].