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Global Survey Shows Majority Believe Implant Guidelines Necessary

Posted on Monday, June 16, 2014

Chicago, May 29, 2014 – The vast majority—nearly 90 percent—of dental professionals believe those who practice implant dentistry should adhere to specific guidelines, according to the results of a new Academy of Osseointegration (AO) member survey.

“Today, implant dentistry has developed into a standard of care, and professionals involved in the specialty not only include periodontists, oral surgeons and prosthodontists, but also general dentists,” said Dr. Joseph Gian-Grasso, a periodontist from Philadelphia and AO President. “While this has brought the benefits of dental implants to many more patients than in the past, it also has created challenges. One such challenge is that training has become highly variable—ranging from comprehensive, years-long instruction to weekend courses—which can impact patient care.” 

The global implant dentistry market is expected to double by 2018. To ensure that its success rate remains at an estimated 95%, it is increasingly important for specialists and general dentists involved in implant dentistry to work together to represent the field in the best light possible.

Current Guidelines offer standards of care and address treatment challenges

This situation underscores the importance of the “2010 Guidelines of the Academy of Osseointegration for the Provision of Dental Implants and Associated Patient Care,” which are available for download at www.osseo.org.

“As implant dentistry grows in popularity, we must ensure that those offering implant reconstruction to their patients have the training and background to provide excellence in their care,” said Dr. Stephen Rosenstein, a general practitioner from Aventura, Fla. and a member of AO’s Board of Directors. “It is critical that we follow evidence-based clinical guidelines focused on achieving the best possible patient outcomes.”

In addition to outlining parameters for patient care, the AO Guidelines provide answers to critical questions regarding implant therapy. The Guidelines, which are not intended to be all-inclusive, cover such areas as training and legal standards, the establishment of a pretreatment protocol, and recommendations for postoperative and long-term management of the implants.

AO consensus conference outcomes will add to the current guidelines

Dr. Gian-Grasso expressed enthusiasm about the Academy’s upcoming consensus conference, “Current Best Evidence for Minimal Intervention in the Management of the Edentulous Maxilla,” August 6-9, 2014 in Oakbrook, Ill. The five topic areas being covered are grafting, implant system design, imaging, biologics, and the role of prosthetics in the rehabilitation of the edentulous maxilla.

“This summit will address the various surgical and prosthetic perspectives and in a collaboration between the AO and specialty associations and academies (American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons, American Academy of Periodontology, American College of Prosthodontists) and multiple corporate partners work as a team to establish outcomes for the summit,” said Dr. Clark Stanford, a prosthodontist from Iowa City, Iowa and a member of AO’s board of directors.

“The key outcome is clinical practice guidelines supported by the current best evidence that the membership can quickly apply to practice,” he added.

About the Survey

More than 400 dentists – including general practitioners, prosthodontists, oral and maxillofacial surgeons and periodontists – participated in the AO survey, which was conducted online in January/February, 2014 with a 5.4% margin of error for the question specifically related to guideline adherence. The Guidelines support AO’s mission “to advance oral health and well-being globally by disseminating state-of-the-art clinical and scientific knowledge of implant dentistry and tissue engineering and by defining expertise in the field.”







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