Why your Implant workflow needs to be Digital.

An Interview with Dr.Kartik Bhanushali.

Q no 1. What are your thoughts on Digital Dentistry and its future?

I have been placing Dental Implants since 1998. But it is only in the last eight or ten years that I saw a tremendous transformation to digital and its urgent need in a Highly potential Dental Market like India. Thanks to the breath-taking Technological advancements and due to the support of software’s such as the 3Shape Implant Studio, placing an Implant or the various ways of superimposing the implant in the site has now become faster and even more efficient. These Software’s are so accurate that the failure percentage is almost Nil.

For us Dentist’s the next step forward was taking this data and converting it into a surgical guide system. Creating guides used to be exhausting. It used to start with a scan and assess the situation. The workflow meant creating a complicated set of models, and a radiographic guide and then, that became the surgical guide. All these processes were time consuming resulting in a smaller number of Patients being treated. It would take anywhere between 30-45 days till we could get to work on the case.

I can proudly say that this was the past. Everything has completely changed in the last five years because we are now able to superimpose an Intraoral Scan from 3shape Trios of the mouth and merge it with the CBCT data, making it very transformative. From 30 days to 3 hours this is what I call as the beauty with digital Implant Dentistry. There have been lots of technical aspects that have contributed to that. We now have a Formlabs 3D printers in the office. So, we can produce a model and the surgical guide then and there. This helps us to move forward swiftly by putting the rings in quickly.

About Three years ago, we started working with 3Shape Implant Studio. We worked with the first version and were able to collaborate with 3Shape to contribute to moving the process forward a little bit on the software’s development. Now, it is a smooth and even workflow. It is just tremendous!
I think we will see it take another big step forward soon. We’re trying to get a hold of the new 3Shape scan bodies because I think they are a giant step forward in scan body design and technology. The workflow will be even faster and smoother.

Q no 2.What does digital bring to your implant workflow?

With digital software’s like the Implant Studio and scanning, the whole process is becoming so predictable. It’s contributing to a much more effective workflow, much more predictable, more precise and it feels safer and more comfortable. The other benefit is that we can have the lab working at the same time. We can have the temporary crown ready-made beforehand. Everyone is always talking about executing big cases, the all-on-fours, and they are special, but the main challenge is when a patient walks in the Clinic with a broken tooth, a person who has a tooth broken off at gum level, you want to be able to replace it for them as quickly as possible. With our technology, we can do that in a day and a half and that is what I call the beauty with Digital Implant Dentistry.

Q no 3.How would you compare guided surgery to freehand?

Presently, only 5% of implants are placed surgically-guided. That needs to grow to a much higher percentage. Because medically and legally, you are not going to be able to stand strong on your feet if you do not have a surgically-guided approach. Or at least, have considered it for the case that you are doing.
Guided surgery is the most predictable type of surgery in several ways. Its easily predictable in terms of positioning and placement, so you get a better aesthetic and functional restorative option. In terms of a surgical procedure, it makes it much easier for the operator. It turns a rather complicated and almost dangerous procedure into something that is entirely predictable.
That’s good to the Dentist as well as the patient. It is more comfortable, and you can spend your time doing other things that will enhance the case. For example, you can consider doing immediate restorative dentistry if there is enough stability in the implant.
There is no doubt that with surgically guided protocols you are not free-handing it. You are not relying upon eye-balling it. You are not relying upon a certain belief in a system. You have worked out procedures beforehand in the planning software.
If the whole process is being done accurately and precisely enough, you will get to that position. There maybe a little variation, but nothing like the variation that you are getting by placing an implant freehand.
Try it and see the Difference!

Q no 4.How has the 3Shape Implant Studio Software changed your work?

The 3Shape Implant Studio Software has transformed my style of working completely. I can function and do better work than I have ever done before. It’s more precise. It’s simpler. It’s easier, safer, and it’s FASTER!
Patients observe the pace of work and appreciate it as they too save time. Software’s like Implant Studio is keeping me at the forefront. One of best things about it is that everyone in the lab can learn it master it and contribute towards faster surgeries. The team approach makes it less stressful and much more predictable. Because of this, we can do more interesting and complicated cases without too much pressure.

Q no 5.How has going digital helped you grow your practice?

Patients are your best teachers. They sense the transition and progress very easily. The traditional analogue process has disappeared. It’s very rare that we take an impression these days. Digital is just so much smoother, faster and more predictable. For example, during the crown preparation, we used to allow a considerable amount of time for adjustment, when we inserted the crown. These days the precision of the work going in is much better. The fit is incredible compared to the traditional ways we used before. That means we can cut down our insertion time and again, it’s much more predictable. It’s transformed the whole process. The patients see this right away. They are excited by seeing the scans. It’s revolutionary for them and they get it!