BACD News: Delve into Digital at the BACD

‘Digital dentistry is efficient, accurate and predictable’, says Dr Jameel Gardee, who is experienced in restorative and aesthetic dentistry, and will be presenting at this year’s British Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (BACD) Annual Conference.

He says: ‘The holy grail of digital dentistry has always been to produce beautiful, natural-looking restorations that follow the perfect imperfections of nature’. Some clinicians have tried to do this for the last few years, but aside from a select handful of experienced digital dentists, none have been able to do so in a way that could compete with handmade restorations.

Modern technology, however, has enabled us to capture highly detailed digital scans of patients’ teeth, which can then be used to help clinicians fabricate stunning restorations that look and feel natural.

As such, further education into indirect smile rehabilitation using emerging technology is never more relevant than it is currently.

‘Most of us have become accustomed to following traditional protocols, but this is not necessarily the only option and we need to start exploring new techniques. Approaching with an open mind will leave some clinicians never wanting to go back to traditional techniques—for example, consider those who are using digital intraoral scanners as opposed to traditional impression material. You find that those who switch to digital will never go back. This is great evidence that digital dentistry works.

‘As with anything, however, there is no failsafe method that guarantees no mistakes. If you don’t take a traditional impression correctly, you might not attain a good end result—the same goes for intraoral scanning. Clinicians should therefore ensure effective capture of digital scans and the correct design of a restoration in the software.

‘Practitioners must also ensure that they use suitable materials and that restorations are completed to the highest possible standard, according to the manufacturer’s finishing protocols and utilising a digital laboratory that understands digital concepts inside out’.

Speaking about his session, entitled ‘Smile Rehab the Digital Way’, Gardee says: ‘I will be looking into, amongst other things, the patient journey. Delegates will explore how they can get patients involved in the Smile Design process, which should excite patients and motivate them during treatment. I will also show how delegates can use digital technology to produce both 2D and 3D mock-ups of restorations, allowing patients to see the proposed final result before any procedures commence, thereby increasing treatment acceptance rates.

‘I will then demonstrate how delegates can use these designs to deliver a predictable, final restoration. We will also look at how we can influence the manufacturing of crowns, veneers and other restorative solutions, manipulating their shape, texture and morphologies so as to mimic a natural “tooth”.

‘My session will show how we can do this predictably, using various systems from Cerec, Trios, Carestream and iTero. It does not matter what scanner a clinician has—we can still achieve the same results. I will also explore how to complete the milled restoration, using incredible glazing and staining techniques, as demonstrated by Dr Paulo Kano. By the end of the session, delegates should broadly know how to deliver exquisite restorations that are as good and, in many cases, surpass handmade alternatives. I hope delegates realise that digital dentistry can be just as effective, if not more so, than traditional dentistry.

‘For me, the most frustrating aspect of analogue dentistry would be that the patient preferred the provisional they were supplied with, rather than the final restoration—as the design from the provisional to the final restoration was hard to follow 100 percent.

‘This is because we would spend a lot of time finessing the design, which could not be replicated or copied efficiently through traditional means again and again. Hopefully, delegates will be able to see the benefits of digital technology, which can standardise the process of fabricating restorations, making them more predictable and accurate’.

Gardee adds: ‘I attended the BACD’s first Annual Conference and it has been a pleasure seeing the event evolve since then. The Academy has always been forward-thinking and is an organisation that is really dedicated to the advancement of not just dentistry, but of all aspects of cosmetic and aesthetic practices.

‘The BACD works hard to bring the latest and well-researched concepts to the dental profession, so delegates at the Annual Conference are exposed to innovative new techniques and products. I attend various different conferences and dental shows worldwide, and they all hold their own merits, but I think the social events and networking opportunities at the BACD cannot be beaten.

‘I’m definitely looking forward to attending the Annual Conference in November. There will be a lot of great speakers in attendance, including Dr John Kois, who has been a leader that has excelled within advanced, facially-driven interdisciplinary dentistry. It will be amazing to hear what Dr Kois has to say and I don’t doubt that he will be very well received.

‘I would encourage everyone to book tickets early. There will be a lot of fantastic hands-on workshops and all dental professionals should make the most of the various social events taking place as well”.

Visit the BACD website today to book your ticket to the celebrated Annual Conference.

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