Courses

The morning began with an introduction to the single tooth implant using Nobel Biocare Select and Branemark systems. On his first patient Jonathan demonstrated impression techniques with closed and open tray impression copings. The implant - a 5x10mm Nobel select tapered with a tiunite surface had been placed 3 months earlier as an immediate placement with a delayed loading protocol .The next patient had a single procera customised abutment and crown fitted to replace a missing molar. This was accompanied by practical exercises, video and slide presentations. The morning closed with the dentists confident they could now restore a nobelbiocare single tooth implant.

After lunch the course moved to the restoration of multiple implant cases. The live case was a biscuit bake try in for a nine unit ,implant retained, upper anterior bridge. Jonathan stressed the importance of prosthetic driven implant placement. Digital photography analysis was relayed to the technician to clarify the aesthetic changes this stage required. Jonathan then discussed prosthetic soft tissue sculpturing, incisal length to width ratios, interincisal contact angles, buccal corridor spacing as well as occlusal principals.

The final lecture was on implant retained over dentures. Two ball attachments were exchanged for healing caps on a patient who had her implants placed six weeks earlier. The new denture was at the try in stage on a cold cure base. An impregum wash impression was taken and the ball attachment analogues were seated. Everyone was surprised how simple the restorative procedure is.