Conference to promote digital dental implant surgery

Dental surgeons, doctors and industry experts from India and abroad gathered here today for a three-day conference on ways to popularise use of digital technology in dental implant surgeries in the country.
Dental surgeons and other experts and representatives of implant manufacturers from foreign countries like Germany, Sweden, Korea, Israel, Greece, Egypt and the US are scheduled to take part in the 9th International Congress of Academy of Oral Implantology (AOI) here.
"The theme this year is 'Digitally Integrated Implant Dentistry' and the idea of this conference is to popularise the technique in small towns and tier-II cities, as this procedure offers precision, more quality and reduction in overall surgery time," Conference Secretary Ajay Sharma told reporters.

Sharma, also Senior Consultant and Head of Department of Dental Sciences at a leading private hospital here, said, the AOI is also conducting a test today to award fellowships to Indian doctors specialising in oral implantology.
"We are talking of 'Digital India' now and we believe this is a natural progression in this field. The procedure allows a doctor to perform the operation using a surgical guide, for improved accuracy of the surgical outcome, and minimal invasion.
"The patient also goes back home early, unlike in a traditional surgery where a patient has to make multiple visits to a dentist, thus saving time and ultimately cost for the him or her," Conference Chairperson Dr Saranjit Singh Bhasin said.

According to conference Co-chairperson Dr Praful Bali, in a digital integrated implant surgery, first a virtual mapping of the entire jaw and the procedures involved is made through scanning which is then translated into a physical structure, which is then inserted to get the exact location in the mouth where the drilling needs to be done.

Bhasin, also a Dean at the Jamia Milia Islamia, and a member the Dental Council of India (DCI), claimed "India is doing very well in the field of oral implantology and foreigners and expats are coming to Indian doctors for such surgeries."
He further said that the DCI in its recent annual meeting had also proposed to have a structured programme in this domain for some of the private dental colleges.

Sharma said, "The cost of the digitally integrated oral implant surgery is about 20-30 per cent more than than what a traditionally surgery costs, but then patients save in terms of the travelling expenses, as they treatment duration is reduced."
The AOI is a nearly 10-year-old organisation of doctors specialising in oral implantology.
"There are four-five hospital in Delhi which have the machines used in the digital technique. It's a bit costly machine, but 'Make in India' initiative is helping bring down the cost," Sharma said, adding a demonstration of the technique would also be given tomorrow.