Dental News - AO session aims to show clinicians how to make ‘implants last a lifetime’

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AO session aims to show clinicians how to make ‘implants last a lifetime’

Attendees wait to enter the exhibit hall of the Academy of Osseointegration’s 2014 Annual Meeting, held March 6 to 8 in Seattle. (Photo: Sierra Rendon, DTA)
Sierra Rendon, DTA

Sierra Rendon, DTA

Mon. 24 March 2014

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SEATTLE, Wash, USA: The Academy of Osseointegration welcomed thousands of clinicians and support staff to its 29th annual meeting in Seattle, held March 6 to 8. The theme of the meeting, “Real Problems, Real Solutions,” was created to help all dental implant practitioners — whether specialists or general dentists, and whether they are actively placing implants and/or restoring dental implants or just getting started in implants.

“We wanted to be very careful in this meeting and not have what would be a ‘failure festival,’ but actually have a very insightful look at what happens in the real practice and to real clinicians with real problems, and to have the leaders in our field help us with: No. 1, how you might avoid them; No. 2, how you manage them; and No. 3, what the future might look like,” said Dr. Lyndon Cooper, while introducing the opening symposium.

“I hope that all of our presentations will give each of you something to take back to your practice and inspire you to continue to take good care of the people even when their prosthesis have grown old and tired or the implants have become problematic.”

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The opening symposium, titled “Strategies to Address Implant Retreatment – Dealing with the 25-Year-Old Implant,” included presentations that addressed the unique circumstances surrounding retreating implants decades after initial placement, said AO President Stephen Wheeler, DDS.

Topics included crestal bone loss around titanium implants, peri-implantitis, the nature of complications and failures related specifically to mature implants.

The symposium was kicked off with a presentation by prosthodontist Jonathan Ferencz, DDS, and periodontist Burton Langer, DMD, who have collaborated on implants for more than 20 years.

Their session, “Implants in the Esthetic Zone: Techniques and Perspectives After 20 Years of Collaboration,” focused on time-proven techniques for both the surgical and prosthodontic aspects of implant treatment in the esthetic zone, which have been the key elements of the duo’s success. In addition to numerous clinical tips and tricks, the session featured a discussion of the relevance of prevailing treatment concepts, such as immediate loading and platform switching.

Another highlight of the meeting was the President’s Reception, which was held at Seattle’s Museum of Flight, one of the largest air and space museums in the world. The event was held exclusively for AO attendees and guests. Guests enjoyed touring the many galleries of the museum as they sampled from food stations throughout the center.

For guests with an adventurous streak, flight simulators were operational for attendees to test out their flying skills.

This year’s AO meeting also featured the first-ever International Symposium dedicated to one country. The symposium focused exclusively on Japan.

“This is a wonderful opportunity, and we are honored to participate and exchange ideas internationally,” said Yataro Komiyama, DDS, PhD, session moderator. “In keeping with the overarching ‘Real Problems, Real Solutions’ theme … the International Symposium covers not only new ideas and applications in implant dentistry but also addresses issues related to long-term clinical experience.”

Finally, the AO held up its unofficial tradition of saving some of the best sessions for last.

“Traditionally at clinical meetings, many attendees tend to leave before the last day’s programming is over, but we purposely schedule strong sessions for our closing symposium — and it works because people stick around so they can hear our internationally known speakers talk about high-interest topics,” Wheeler said.

This year’s closing symposium, “Our Better Future,” focused on current and advancing technologies in managing teeth and implants, including advances in biotechnology, technology such as digital dentistry and materials selection and prosthetic design.

(The Academy of Osseointegration contributed to this report.)

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