Patient care is changing

February 2010 | dentalproductsreport.com
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Patient care is changing

Regardless of what specialty services you’re adding to your practice, you’re going to need some new equipment. Here’s a rundown of some of the things you’ll need and pieces of advice from the specialists:

by Renee Knight

Photo: Kevin Dreyer/Getty Images

Implants
A CT scanner for treatment planning
Surgical handpiece and surgical kits
Bone replacement materials
Implants themselves
“Diagnosing and treatment planning implant cases is the most crucial aspect of incorporating implant dentistry into your practice,” Dr. Olivia Palmer said. “Dental implant therapy is a prosthetic discipline with a surgical component. It must always begin with the end in mind. You must understand where the patient’s final restoration is going to be before planning where the implant will be. If there isn’t enough bone, you need to build the bone and not just place the implant.”

Endodontics
Enhanced magnification, preferably a microscope, to locate all root canals in each tooth
Rotary nickel titanium instruments to facilitate canal shaping
Quality filling materials to fill root canals once they’re cleaned and shaped
Digital radiography
“They have to be up to date with technology,” Dr. Gerald Glickman said. “They have to be familiar with what’s out there in the market place. Quality CE and meetings will help them get a good idea of what instruments will enhance their abilities.”

Orthodontics
Wires
Brackets
Pliers to cut wire and brackets
Adhesives
Invisalign
Good diagnostic records
“When a tooth is moved in the wrong direction, it takes a long time to straighten it out,” Dr. John Shefferman said. “That’s what we (orthodontists) do, but we have to accept the fact dentist are doing ortho. Invisalign is a safer way to do it, but GPs still need guidance and sort of a mentor to help them out and keep them out of trouble. Even with Invisalign, it’s a great product, I love it, but you still have to be careful with it.”

Renee Knight is a senior editor for DPR. Contact her at rknight@advanstar.com.

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