Effective material selection and application is crucial for dentists looking to deliver excellent clinical care to patients. When it comes to bioceramics in endodontics, this choice is particularly important and can have a significant impact on the treatment outcome achieved. However, there are some challenges that practitioners must overcome for the best endodontic results. As such, there is a high demand for continuous education and training in the field.
In response, BDIA Dental Showcase 2025 will once again host sessions designed specifically to offer dentists the information and advice they need about modern endodontic materials. Professor Josette Camilleri will be sharing her expertise on the subject from the Dental Update Theatre, speaking on behalf of the University of Birmingham.
Josette is a Clinical Professor of Endodontics and Applied Materials at Dentistry, College of Medicine and Health, University of Birmingham. After qualifying as a dentist from the University of Malta, she completed her doctoral degree supervised by Professor Tom Pitt Ford at Guy’s Hospital, King’s College London and then returned to the University of Malta to fulfil roles undertaking research and teaching in Civil and Structural Engineering and Restorative Dentistry Departments. She is currently the Head of Dentistry at the University of Birmingham.
She reflects on how the bioceramic material market has changed in the past year and what this means for the profession:
“Put simply, more and more products have become available to clinicians, but they have not been tested extensively. For some of the materials on the market, there is almost no supporting literature. The profession is being promised a lot, but such high expectations are not being consistently met. Many of the ‘new’ products, although called bioceramics, have a different chemical formula. The reality is that this chemistry will have different interactions when used clinically.
“The impact of this can be significant. When materials don’t behave as expected or don’t set correctly, this can jeopardise the workflow and cause treatment failure. The most common problem seen in practice right now is that the material just disappears – poor setting allows the material to be washed away soon after placement. The patient returns to the practice for review and a radiograph reveals the lack of material. Clinicians must then repeat endodontic treatment, with additional costs to the patient unless incurred by the practice.”
To avoid these issues, it’s important for clinicians to understand the materials they are using, how they were developed and how they will behave in the mouth. Josette offers some insight into effective material selection:
“The term ‘bioceramics’ refers to a broad range of materials, though many will react differently or be indicated for different clinical situations. Material awareness among the profession is growing but there is always more to understand. I would recommend colleagues seek out endodontic materials that feature calcium silicate, because this is what most of the research is supporting. In fact, there is more than 30 years of evidence behind mineral trioxide aggregate – which contains calcium silicate – which other formulas can’t compete with.
“Beyond this, working with a reputable manufacturer with a good track record is vital. As is learning the correct clinical techniques for each specific material, which is only possible with high-quality training. That’s why we’re at BDIA Dental Showcase, because it’s an excellent platform to discuss this training and support the educational journey. In any area, you never know enough, there is always more to learn.
“I have been attending BDIA Dental Showcase for several years and it has always been very well organised. Although an extensive industry showcase, it offers a broad spectrum of sessions to ensure something for everybody, whether they are in private practice, hospital or academia, at any level of training. Case and point the University prioritises attending this event, contributing to the lectures and taking a stand, which demonstrates the significance of the event.”
Josette’s session in the Dental Update Theatre will explore the materials available on the market and their clinical interactions. Attendees will gain valuable insight into the field with practical guidance on appropriate material selection in various clinical situations.
Don’t miss Josette Camilleri and plenty of other highly-esteemed speakers across two days of education, networking and product demonstration at BDIA Dental Showcase 2025! Book today.
The dental community trusts BDIA Dental Showcase 2025 for a reason
14th-15th March
ExCeL London
Register at https://dentalshowcase.com/
