A NEW CONCEPT IN DENTISTRY: One Stage Surgery
Patients today often dread dental clinic visits. One of the main reasons is the fear of endless meetings and the waiting time. Wishing to overcome this obstacle, DMD Dragos Popescu, implantology and periodontal surgery specialist, general manager of the DentalMed clinic in Bucharest, has successfully implemented a concept developed in the United States, namely “one stage surgery”.
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The steps preceding this operation are essential – radiological evaluation of dental-alveolar status of the patient by means of panoramic RX-type investigations and computed tomography (CT), supplemented by clinical examination of the patient. A Treatment Plan is then developed based on the above data. Once the phases of treatment are established, surgery procedures applied according to the “one stage surgery” concept usually open the restorative treatment suite. The medical team consists of four specialists in maxillofacial surgery, implantology, periodontology and aesthetic dentistry. This team rehabilitates the entire oral cavity in one surgery. The treatment session can take from one to four hours, depending on the case complexity. Throughout the surgery, the patient is under the effect of intravenous sedation (i.v. sedation) which provides extra comfort during surgery; the anaesthesiologist constantly monitors the patient throughout the treatment session.
By this means we are successfully performing extreme operations such as insertions of dental implants, periodontal surgery, bone additions and self-transplants, sinus lift surgery and extractions – all in one surgical session. Most of patients find it hard to believe that the most important step of their oral rehabilitation ended without pain, in a meeting that lasted just a few hours, without hospitalization, and that they can resume their professional and social activities the following day. Therefore, months of treatment are reduced to a single procedure, in this revolutionary concept called “one stage surgery”. Patient stress is reduced to a minimum, and the results are remarkable.
PERIODONTAL DISEASE – “Silent Killer” FOR 1 out of 3 PATIENTS
Although periodontal disease (periodontitis – called “the silent killer”) surprisingly affects 1 out of 3 people, the end result being loss of teeth, the disease is treated superficially by most patients
WHAT PEOPLE DON’T KNOW ABOUT THE PERIODONTAL DISEASE
Having healthy teeth doesn’t mean having teeth without cavities.
An apparently healthy tooth can hide a periodontal condition that can be detected only by your dentist. If the diagnosis of periodontal disease is achieved in a phase in which the tooth can be saved by means of periodontal microsurgery (Flap Debridemenet with bone and tissue regeneration), the patient has a chance to keep his natural teeth. However, there are many situations in which the patient is diagnosed too late, when the only rehabilitation solution that remains is the one that involves inserting dental implants.
The disease is progressive and the conclusion is only one: loss of teeth.
The cause is exclusively microbial, but there is also a genetic predisposition, which is aggravated by factors such as smoking, stress, immune diseases, and diabetes.
Young patients are not immune to bacterial attack and thus to periodontal disease. Therefore it becomes mandatory to submit to your dentist for regular checks, aimed to achieve an early diagnosis of periodontitis for children with a periodontal history in their families. Taking into account all these considerations, DentalMed created a special investigation, diagnosis and treatment system for periodontal disease that all patients of the clinic go through.
HOW TO TREAT PERIODONTITIS
Periodontal disease is only treated by surgical means.
The infection located in the periodontal pockets is eliminated by thorough curettage. In the next step, we add state of the art biomaterials to help restore bone mass diminished by the disease and we finally bring the gums back to the initial level by specific suture techniques.
Periodontal disease cannot be cured. Surgery only stops the evolution of the disease.
Surgical treatment of periodontal disease must be supplemented by regular checks and professional maintenance (cleaning session every two months – scaling, brushing, airflow). Secondly, there are anti-inflammatory treatments and vaccines, but these have AT MOST an aiding role, and are not crucial in the treatment of periodontitis.
NEW CONCEPT IN AESTHETIC DENTISTRY: GINGIVITIS AESTHETIC SURGERY
10 years ago, in dentistry, no one took into consideration the assembly of the porcelain tooth or veneer and the gum. Modern professional conduct requires completing the periodontal surgery and the aesthetic gingivitis surgery and only then restoring the teeth by covering with zirconium ceramic crowns or ceramic veneers.
A top aesthetic rehabilitation involves perfect harmonization of the gum appearance in relation to the teeth.
Aiming to offer premium treatments to our patients and incorporating the latest technologies, DentalMed establishes the Centre of Excellence in Surgery and Implantology in 2011. This year also marks the completion of our clinic expansion process in the same location, from 200 sqm to 700 sqm, including 9 units, one surgery room, Morita Computer Tomograph, spaces dedicated to mini-colloquies, facilities for live surgery. All these add up to an investment of 1.5 million Euros.
