Letter From the Editor
As clinicians, we are faced with many decisions when diagnosing and developing treatment plans. This issue of Inclusive is dedicated to addressing several of the options that arise when undertaking dental implant treatment.
One decision we encounter is how best to provide prosthetic stability for our denture patients. Drs. David Cummings and Christopher Travis present a case report in which they go step-by-step through the evaluation and work-up leading to the placement of four small-diameter implants in a mandible, followed by immediate temporization utilizing the patient's existing denture.
When dealing with full and partial implant overdenture cases, we are often fighting for vertical space, which can mean the thickness of the acrylic base will be inadequate to resist fracture. One option to counter this increased fracture risk is to incorporate a cast metal framework into the denture base. Jerry Lord, general manager of Glidewell Laboratory's Combination Crowns & Partials department, demonstrates how CAD/CAM technology can be used to design and fabricate prosthetic frameworks to provide strength in cases with limited vertical space.
When restoring dental implants, a major decision we face is whether to load them immediately. Dr. Lyndon Cooper et al. address just that issue and present a clinical checklist for immediate loading in their article on the subject.
Another choice we confront when treating patients involves the appropriate prosthetic design. Drs. William Campbell and Marc Herman review the pros and cons of cement-retained versus screw-retained implant restorations. Their article concludes with case examples that illustrate the decision-making process.
Due to overwhelming demand, this issue also includes two practice management articles. Dr. David Schwab focuses on creating a culture of accountability within your practice as a way of evaluating and motivating your staff, while Dr. Olya Zahrebelny continues her discussion on successfully billing implant cases and related services to medical plans.
After reading the various articles contained in this issue, check out our expanded online content, which includes a preview of a gIDE Lecture-on-Demand by Dr. Jack Hahn on immediate implant placement post extraction. As always, we welcome your feedback.
Bradley C. Bockhorst, DMD
Editor-in-Chief, Clinical Editor
inclusivemagazine@glidewelldental.com
