ASDOH and Implants

[TucsonDDS]

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To the guys at ASDOH, do you get to place some implants during your time there. I just had a friend from Tucson ask me if I would recommend her going to the school for an anterior. I thought it would be weird if you were doing them this early (as a DS3) if at all. I know at most schools you don't always get the chance. Thanks for the info.

 

[ElDienteLoco]

I'm a D2 and we just finished our implant pre-clinical module and the impression that I got was that we would be restoring one unit of implant supported fixed and doing a 2-implant ball overdenture, but I don't know if students will be placing the implants. I'm sure there is a protocol and that some probably will, but for now, I'm pretty sure that Dr. Kalamchi in oral surgery will be placing implants for cases. Any D3's will know more specifics than I do, though.

It could save your friend some money, but I bet they would put her through the full-patient workup and that would be a lot of trips between Tucson and Mesa, but it all depends on what her expectations are. Best of luck.

 

[TucsonDDS]

I'm a D2 and we just finished our implant pre-clinical module and the impression that I got was that we would be restoring one unit of implant supported fixed and doing a 2-implant ball overdenture, but I don't know if students will be placing the implants. I'm sure there is a protocol and that some probably will, but for now, I'm pretty sure that Dr. Kalamchi in oral surgery will be placing implants for cases. Any D3's will know more specifics than I do, though.

It could save your friend some money, but I bet they would put her through the full-patient workup and that would be a lot of trips between Tucson and Mesa, but it all depends on what her expectations are. Best of luck.

Thank you very much for the info. I will let her know.

 

[ItsGavinC]

I'm pretty sure that Dr. Kalamchi in oral surgery will be placing implants for cases. Any D3's will know more specifics than I do, though.

You're right, a D3 would know more specifics. 😀

Actually, the implants are run by our Perio deparment, so Kalamchi and OS have nothing to do with it.

In terms of the school, we will place LOTS of implants here. As far as students go, we'll be involved in many cases, but the depth of that involvement is unknown at this point.

In my mind, the cost of savings on the actual implant won't be that great, but the savings over the crown is substantial (50-60%).

 

[benfolds23]

I just got back from UoP this past monday, and asked the administration and students every possible question about implants. Their 4th years do not actually place them, but just help the professors put them, do pre and post stuff, etc.

I'm assuming since UoP is the closest school to AZ in existence (and AZ doesn't have a 4th year class yet), that that will do things similarly.

But hey, I'm not an AZ student.

 

[JavadiCavity]

Pacific students don't place implants. We can assist the oral surgery staff during placement, and I'm not sure how involved the students get. I did talk to a recent graduate, that because of his excessive zeal in clinic, he was able to earn enough of the respect and confidence of the faculty that he was able to place some implants under supervision (i.e. the oral surgeon sitting chairside) at the end of his 3rd year. That being said, we do restore implants...a bazillion of them.

As an aside,, it looks like we are going to get Sullivan-Scheins new CADCAM machine this spring! Students at Pacific will be trained on how to use the machine and be able to utilize it for cases. I'm excited!

 

[drhobie7]

I think a D3 or D4 surgically placing an implant fixture in any case other than the ideal is a bad idea. By ideal I mean a very wide ridge, ample bone (nowhere near the IAN or sinus), and not in the esthetic zone.

 

[Periogod]

I think a D3 or D4 surgically placing an implant fixture in any case other than the ideal is a bad idea. By ideal I mean a very wide ridge, ample bone (nowhere near the IAN or sinus), and not in the esthetic zone.

I see no reason why D3s and D4s shouldn't be placing implants. If you treatment plan correctly (CBVT, grafting, etc... where indicated), I see no reason why a student can't drill a hole and put a screw into that hole. The hard part is restoring it properly, anybody can drill a hole in a properly augmented site (even a lowly periodontist).

 

[Dr.Millisevert]

Its optional, but interested students at my school can place 1-3 implants by the end of 3rd year.

 

[drhobie7]

I see no reason why D3s and D4s shouldn't be placing implants. If you treatment plan correctly (CBVT, grafting, etc... where indicated), I see no reason why a student can't drill a hole and put a screw into that hole. The hard part is restoring it properly, anybody can drill a hole in a properly augmented site (even a lowly periodontist).

Hahaha! What's this? The great periodontist being humble? Just kidding. 🙂 I agree, as long as it's a simple (real simple) case. Obviously there's a lot more expertise that goes into effective implant treatment than just drilling a hole and screwing in the fixture. I think treatment planning and case selection are the most critical aspects. Even with good planning, an inexperienced surgeon can misdirect the angulation, sink the implant too deep thereby creating peri-implant pockets that could lead to failure, excessively enlarge the osteotomy and threaten osseointegration, or alter the final prosthesis and affect its prognosis by fixture misplacement. Anyhow, it would be nice to get some pre-clinical implant placement training like we have with operative dentistry before doing the real thing.

 

[Periogod]

Hahaha! What's this? The great periodontist being humble? Just kidding. 🙂 I agree, as long as it's a simple (real simple) case. Obviously there's a lot more expertise that goes into effective implant treatment than just drilling a hole and screwing in the fixture. I think treatment planning and case selection are the most critical aspects. Even with good planning, an inexperienced surgeon can misdirect the angulation, sink the implant too deep thereby creating peri-implant pockets that could lead to failure, excessively enlarge the osteotomy and threaten osseointegration, or alter the final prosthesis and affect its prognosis by fixture misplacement. Anyhow, it would be nice to get some pre-clinical implant placement training like we have with operative dentistry before doing the real thing.

The pre-clinical training you talk about is a joke. The only way I was "trained" before placing an implant was to place the fixture into a plastic half-mandible on a lab bench that had a 15 mm ridge width and 20 mm ridge height. There is no real way to learn other than to do it and have some good back-up in the off chance you screw-the-pooch. As long as you don't hit the IA nerve or sever the lingual artery, you're probably not going to do any permanent damage (sinus perfs, dehiscences, fenestrations, and malaligned implants can all be fixed). The key to success, is to know your surgical anatomy and treatment plan properly.