Complications in Dental Implant Therapy: Why? When? Is avoidance possible? (#48)
Clearly implant therapy has changed the treatment planning of ourpatient population. It has allowed all surgeons to provide answers todifficult reconstructive issues that many remember as impossible tosolve a few years ago. Replacement therapy with tissue, proteins andmetallic fixtures has introduced new lines to problem solving. However,along with this has been a novel increase in poor results, tissue injuryand unexpected outcomes. As one considers this complex problem,several thoughts come to mind regarding the institution of newtechniques and the renewal of old procedures. First, many cliniciansseem to divorce themselves from the basics of biology and woundhealing. The idea that technology can somehow replace sound surgicalprinciples is something that is pervasive in today’s throwaway literature.This discussion will focus on the issues related to poor outcomes withimplants and adjunctive procedures. Grafting, esthetics, failures of fixturepositioning, and bone loss both short and long term will be topics ofreview. Outcomes will be discussed, analyzed and reviewed using theliterature and clinical examples. Basic principles will be stressed withemphasis on biology and evidenced based therapy. Can we maintaina balance between technology and science? These exciting topics willbe discussed.