DentaltownUK asks Dr. Christopher Leech: What Could You Not Work Without?

After studying dentistry at Newcastle University, Dr. Christopher Leech trained at Sheffield University, where he discovered a love for dental implants. The rest is, well … dentistry. Leech has travelled internationally, training to the highest standards and sits on the Board of Directors for the British Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry.

He set up Clear Dentistry in 2016 alongside his business partner Leigh Knowles, and the practice was awarded Best Practice in the UK at the Dentistry Awards in 2017 and Best New Practice at The Private Dentistry Awards in 2017.

Vision aids: Orascoptic 4.8x loupes and Zeiss Pico microscope
I truly believe that vision is everything in what we do. If you can’t see it, you cannot diagnose it, and equally, you then cannot see the accuracy of your treatment. I have had Orascoptic loupes for about 7 years now and have found them to be excellent. When the highest level of vision is needed, then the Zeiss scope takes us there.

Documentation: DSLR (Nikon) and Kodak CS1500
As important as it is to be able to see things, documenting them and communicating them to the patient is just as important. I rely on my Nikon D610, R1 bracket flashes, Sigma macro lens and Lumiquest pocket bouncers for taking great images of patients’ teeth. If I want a faster and more localised shot, then I utilise the Kodak CS 1500 camera.

Radiography: Nomad Pro 2
This fantastic device frees us from the constraints of a wall-mounted solution, saving space and a providing a minimalistic surgery space. This clean, modern look is something we pride ourselves on. There is also no need to leave the patient’s side when using the device, and patients really appreciate this. It’s a real confidence booster for them when you’re able to sit by their side. It’s also really useful for patients who are confined to a wheelchair, because it means we can easily come to them and don’t need to try to position them in relation to the fixed arm, which I’ve had issues with in the past.

Bennex Root Extractor
I stumbled across this device a few years ago, and this is probably the best ‘gadget’ I have in the practice. When it comes to removing heavily broken-down teeth with little supragingival tissue or well-retained roots, this simply cannot be beat. Patients like it, too, because it’s actually a very gentle process. It takes some patience as it very slowly elevates the tooth, but I find it preserves the bony architecture wonderfully, which is especially useful when immediate implant therapy is planned.

NSK Z95L
Our whole practice is loaded with NSK gear. My local rep, Steve Barnes, was brilliant at helping me out in my early days as an associate and that relationship carried over to when we kitted out the practice. The Z95L is a superb electric handpiece, which gives me fantastic control and accuracy when preparing teeth. I couldn’t imagine doing a tooth preparation with an air rotor ever again.

Trios scanner
Scanners seem to be the real hot topic at the moment. I have always been keen to embrace technology and went to the 2017 International Dental Show in Cologne to see what all the companies had to offer in one place. The Trios stood out to me as the front-runner and I’m delighted to say that it has been well integrated into our clinic’s workflow. It’s utilised for most restorative cases, and I particularly enjoy being able to get immediate STL scans of a patient’s mouth to merge with Dicom data, to aid with the digital planning of an implant case. We also have a Formlabs 2 3-D printer to allow us to make guides and models on site.

(Editor’s note: Click here to read a DentaltownUK report from this show.)