"The Digital Handshake: Connecting the Restorative Dentist and Oral Surgeon"

Instructor:  Naren Rajan, D.M.D., F.A.G.D.

Synopsis:  Successful implant dentistry begins long before the implant is placed. Digital workflows now allow the restorative dentist and oral surgeon to collaborate before surgery, using the final restoration as the starting point for implant planning.

This course will explore a collaborative, restorative-driven approach to guided implant surgery. Participants will follow the digital workflow from intraoral scanning and CBCT acquisition through virtual implant planning, surgical guide fabrication, guided implant placement, and restoration. Emphasis will be placed on how communication and shared digital planning between the restorative dentist and surgeon can improve implant position, restorative predictability, and the overall patient experience.

Clinical workflows for both single-unit and multiple-implant therapy will be presented, including the use of 3D-printed surgical guides and provisional restorations.

Learning Objectives

At the conclusion of this course, participants will be able to:

• Describe the digital workflow for restoratively driven implant planning, from data acquisition through guided implant placement.
• Explain how CBCT data and intraoral scans are combined to evaluate implant position in relation to the planned final restoration.
• Identify the benefits and limitations of guided implant surgery and recognize clinical situations in which guided treatment may be advantageous.
• Understand how 3D-printed surgical guides and provisional restorations can be incorporated into single-unit and full-arch implant workflows