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“If it’s better for the body, it’s better for the patient”

Dr Meetu Ralli Kohli teaches ROOT SUMMIT attendees about the benefits of utilising bioceramics in their practices. (Image: DTI)

ROOTS SUMMIT 2022 has been an event of deep learning, offering the latest takes on methodology and technology in endodontics. Dental Tribune International caught up with a particularly sought-after speaker, Dr Meetu Ralli Kohli, who delivered an inspiring lecture titled “Bioceramics in endodontics”. Dr Kohli shared why bioceramics should be valued by practitioners who want the best for their patients as well as some tips on how interested clinicians can become more comfortable transitioning from resins to bioceramics.

Dr Kohli, everyone here has come for a reason, so what are you offering them? Why are you excited?
I have been a dentist for 26 years, so the evolution in terms of sealers that we have now and materials that we have now and the biggest thing with bioceramics like mineral trioxide aggregate is biocompatibility, the ability for the body to adapt to the material. As dentists, we put so many things in the tooth and in the body, so the better the body accepts it, the more excited we are. I would say that’s the excitement. Bioceramics aren’t very new, so we are sure of the bioactivity of the material. I think that’s a big deal!

What would you want everyone to take home from this event?
I think I would want them to make a change towards bioceramic sealers. I am assuming most of the people here do regular endo. I think it’s time to transition to bioceramic-based material and step away from resin-based materials. If practitioners do surgery, then they should use the putty form. Not that using resin is wrong of course, but using bioceramic-based material is a small step towards a better material, histologically speaking.

Do you have any suggestions for practitioners who feel overwhelmed by change? What would you say to convince them to transition to bioceramics?
Two things. The first is to read up and look at the literature, and those of us involved with academia are more than willing to share the six or seven key articles that somebody should look at to be comfortable making a change. My second recommendation, and one that I also shared in my presentation is to practise in extracted teeth, to look for themselves and see that they are able to do a good job with this new material. It makes it easier to switch.

Is there anything else that you would like to share with our readers about yourself or your initiatives?
My main initiative as I go and talk to people and lecture is to remind them to go back to the biology and to ponder why we do what we do. I think we need to get away from just the technique. We need to understand why we do what we do, and then the application of techniques makes sense. I think it’s very important to go back to school. When you are in your private practice and just work continually, you forget why you do it at times. I think it’s good to go back to learning the basics again.

Any time you have 50 stalls outside at a conference, how do you decide? You are not able to make a decision unless you know what you are trying to achieve. When you know what you are trying to achieve, then you can look at a product and ask whether this will help you to achieve your biological goals and then you can make the right choice. It helps you head in the right direction: “if it’s better for the body, it’s better for the patient.”

Editorial note:

For more information on ROOTS SUMMIT, please visit www.roots-summit.com.

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