Interview with Prof. Stefan Fickl of International Osteology

Dental Tribune International

Thu. 25. April 2019

save

Regenerative treatment options are a major concern in dental implantology. Dental professionals who are interested in studying the field further are invited to attend the upcoming International Osteology Symposium, to be held in Barcelona in Spain on 25–27 April. Dental Tribune International took the opportunity to interview Prof. Stefan Fickl, one of the event speakers, on surgical methods for soft-tissue regeneration, how to achieve aesthetically pleasing results and the importance of immediate implant placement for aesthetics. Fickl is affiliated with the Department of Periodontology at the University Hospital of Würzburg in Germany since 2009, has specialised in periodontics and has been running his own private practice near Nuremberg in Germany since 2018.

Prof. Fickl, the theme of the International Osteology Symposium is “THE NEXT REGENERATION”. What are your expectations of the symposium?
Regeneration is one of the major topics in periodontics and implant dentistry. I personally expect to learn about new materials and surgical approaches to improve the regenerative aspects of our therapeutic approaches. For me as a periodontist, the most interesting topic is soft-tissue regeneration, particularly with xenografts.

You are giving a presentation titled “Update soft tissue augmentation” on Thursday. What is your lecture about, and what are your intended main learning objectives?
For a long time, bone regeneration has been the major topic in implant dentistry. Today, we know that a healthy and intact soft-tissue mantle is also very important to maintain an implant in the long term. I will discuss the importance of soft-tissue augmentation and demonstrate surgical approaches to improve the soft-tissue mantle around dental implants.

What methods can be used to regenerate soft tissue?
The most important technique in many cases is grafting with subepithelial connective tissue grafts. However, soft-tissue substitutes, such as collagen matrices, have gained interest in the scientific community and can be used in some instances as an alternative.

How can dentists achieve pleasing aesthetic results in dental implantology?
Many factors are important to achieve satisfying results from an aesthetic perspective. Of course, the positioning of the implant is essential. If the implant is misplaced, good results cannot be achieved. Also, an adequate bone structure on the buccal side of an implant is important and an adequate quantity of soft tissue in height and thickness is essential.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of immediate implant placement regarding aesthetics?
Immediate dental implants can achieve great aesthetics if properly used. The reason is that only one surgery is needed and therefore tissue trauma is reduced. However, risks are involved if you combine extraction, implant placement and augmentation in one surgery. Immediate implant placement, with proper case selection and in the hands of an experienced clinician, can lead to excellent soft-tissue aesthetics.

You have been working in implantology for many years. Have you observed any growing trends?
The growing knowledge in our field is striking. In particular, in the field of tissue regeneration, many factors which were not regarded as important some years ago are today crucial for long-term successful implant restoration. In addition, technology is improving year by year and can help the experienced clinician to be less invasive and reduce patient morbidity.

To post a reply please login or register

Interview: “Continuing education is an important part of our field”

The AEEDC Dubai 2018 Young Researcher Award has been initiated to acknowledge young talents in the field of dental science. By simply providing them with ...

Interview: Our knowledge can benefit and strengthen the dental community

BEIJING, China: The 2017 World Dental Forum will be held on 30 and 31 October at the China World Trade Center in Beijing. The organiser, dental prosthesis ...

Darko Božić: “The EFP has the best experts in the perio field who are willing to share their knowledge and experience”

Prof. Darko Božić is the new president of the European Federation of Periodontology (EFP), the leading global voice in periodontics and implant dentistry,...

Interview: “Mouth cancer is a growing problem”

With oral cancer rates continuing to increase worldwide, it has become clear that more needs to be done to raise awareness and combat this issue. Dental ...

Interview: “Slow Dentistry has resonated around the world and is growing exponentially”

Since 2010, Slow Dentistry has been encouraging dental professionals to manage their time at the clinic better and to practise ethical and quality care. ...

Interview: “It is our mission to simplify dental implantology”

MIS Implants Technologies is a global specialist in the development and production of advanced dental implantology products and solutions. At the beginning ...

“Innovation is in our DNA”

COLOGNE, Germany: Innovations in dental technology drive the whole industry forward and shape both present and future practices. At IDS, Dental Tribune ...

Interview: “To me, dentistry is a consolidation of science, art and medicine all in one field”

Dr. Rhonda Kalasho has recently been acclaimed as the most detail-oriented dentist in Hollywood. She works at one of the most innovative dental practices in...

Interview: “Our 3D-printing solution is born from the dental community”

3D printing is here to stay, and it continues to be one of the major topics in dentistry. Just recently, Dental Tribune International had the pleasure of ...

Interview: “Our purpose is to provide emotional first aid for dentists in distress”

Dentistry can be a stressful profession in which the importance of mental health is often overlooked, and the uncertainty about where to seek help can be ...

Education

Live webinar
Wed. 24 April 2024
1:00 pm EST (New York)