Kathryn Taylor discusses a recent sinus lift and immediate implant placement case – plus the surgical equipment used to achieve a successful treatment outcome.
A female patient in her early 60s attended our clinic at University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) where she had been on the waiting list for implant surgery for some time. She is a non-smoker with known allergies to certain medications, so we were conscious from the outset of minimising any surgical trauma and the need to make surgical procedures as short as possible.
Following an assessment of the patient, and in consultation with my colleague and specialist in oral surgery and periodontology, Dr Flavio Pisani, we proposed a treatment plan involving a sinus lift and two implants to be placed immediately in the upper premolar region.
Implant surgery essentials
This was my first implant case for several years, so I was interested to see how much surgical equipment has improved over that time, and two key pieces of equipment really stood out for me.
The first was the Surgic Pro2, a surgical micromotor from NSK. Electric micromotors have become an integral part of oral surgery and implant placement in recent years and the Surgic Pro2 has proved to be something of a game-changer for accurate speed and torque control.
Oral surgeons have traditionally use non-optic handpieces, working instead with loupes and a light, but the Surgic Pro2 has a fibre optic light through the handpiece and this feature has opened a different world for me.
NSK’s VarioSurg 4 piezo ultrasonic bone surgery system was the other piece of equipment used and is fast becoming another essential tool in our implant and surgical procedures. We are using it for sinus lifts, bone surgery and implant site preparation. It is designed for the selective cutting of bone, but does so without causing damage to the adjacent soft tissues; mucosa, blood vessels, nerves and the like.
Piezo handpieces are generally quite slow and can make procedures very time-consuming but the tactile sensation of the VarioSurg 4 handpiece works extremely well. We’ve had really good results so far and will be using it a lot more in the future, particularly for sinus lifts.
Benefits of VarioSurg 4 for implant surgery
The VarioSurg 4 and Surgic Pro2 link together via a single wireless foot control that makes it easy to switch between the two during surgical procedures. The two units sit neatly together on a trolley or stand, which is important especially if you’re working in limited space. They are compact and light which makes them easy to transport between different surgeries. It is literally the ‘plug in and go’ factor which I really like.
There are a wide variety of ultrasonic bone surgery tips available for the VarioSurg 4 that help to maintain cutting speed, preserve tissue and cut easily into bone. In this case we used the SG6D diamond-coated tip to create the window for the sinus lift and the SG11 to raise the sinus membrane. The SG11 is the ideal choice to detach the connection between the Schneider membrane and the bone, this allowed me to then use a manual instrument to finish the elevation.
Following successful surgery, we have seen the patient for immediate follow-up and suture removal. She is now in the healing phase which is expected to last between three to four months, after which we will place her final restorations. The patient has had no problems post-op and is extremely happy with the results so far.
Valuable customer support
The customer support we have received from NSK and our local product specialist, Clare Morris, has been outstanding. Clare arranged the loan of all the essential equipment used in this case, demonstrated its use and made sure everything was setup and working correctly.
NSK is a great supporter of our work and our students, and it is great for them to be exposed to the latest equipment available. I believe this is an integral part of their training and helps them be more aware of the innovations happening in the real world of dentistry.
Find out more about the Surgic Pro 2.
Find out more about the VarioSurg 4.
See NSK’s full range of surgical tips.
This article is sponsored by NSK.
