Lecture Topics & Abstracts

Ideal dental and medical care involves treatment of the entire patient. However, this is not always the case. Health care providers, including both dentists and physicians, are often taught to perform procedures, not comprehensive patient care. Dental school training oftentimes focuses on the mastery of individual skills and technical procedures (remember dental school requirements).

The upshot of the current dental model is a reduced acceptance of treatment that is not in the patient’s or health care provider’s best interest. Our mission is to establish healthy relationships based on trust and shared decision making among the patient, doctor and staff. This begins with a comprehensive examination and treatment plan, with the understanding that a healthy periodontium is the foundation of a healthy mouth and hence all dentistry.

Achieving acceptance of treatment that is in the patient’s best interest and that aligns with their goals involves an approach that differs greatly from the traditional report of findings and list of procedures. Dr Sonick will review the important patient communication techniques that have allowed him to build a successful practice where over 90% of his patients say yes to comprehensive dental treatment. His fee for service practice is routinely booked two to three months in advance. Decades of experience and study allow him to present intriguing cases. More importantly, he will guide you through aspects of office design and team-building that are essential to a patient-centered environment.

A review of the variety of essential supportive surgical therapies will be presented and reviewed including, but not limited to: CT grafting, aesthetic crown lengthening, periodontal surgical regeneration, extractions and bone grafting, ridge augmentations and the aesthetic placement of dental implants. The science and thought process that lead to predictable decisions will be elucidated.

At the end of the day, participants will know:

• How to establish rapport, trust and engagement with the patient
• NLP (neurolinguistic programming) models for communication, framing, utilizing motivation triggers
• The importance of building a supportive dental team
• A 15-minute comprehensive examination
• Comprehensive diagnosis and treatment planning
• How to achieve greater patient acceptance of comprehensive treatment
• The value of supportive periodontal therapy, including CT grafts, aesthetic crown lengthening, bone grafting, aesthetic implant placement

The advent of modern implant dentistry with success rates in the high 90th percentile has resulted in a paradigm shift in dentistry. Tried and true techniques for saving teeth are often forgotten, deemed passé or have never been learned. The algorithm of when to save periodontally and restoratively involved teeth or to extract and place a dental implant is still evolving. An attempt to make sense out of the multiplicity of treatment planning options will be explored.

Learning objectives:

• When should/could a tooth be saved
• Compare the success of saving teeth versus placing dental implants
• Treatment modalities for predictably maintaining teeth

Length of Program: ½ Day to 1 Day

A healthy periodontium is the foundation of a healthy mouth and hence all dentistry. A comprehensive examination is the sine qua non in the performance of ideal dental care. Getting a patient to say yes to treatment involves more than just a report of findings. A relationship must be established in which the patient trusts in the decision that he or she makes regarding their own health. Dr Sonick will review the important patient communication techniques that have allowed him to build a successful practice where over 90% of his patients say yes to comprehensive dental treatment (His practice is routinely booked two to three months in advance.)

Additionally, a review of the variety of essential supportive surgical therapies will be presented and reviewed including, but not limited to, CT grafting, aesthetic crown lengthening, periodontal surgical regeneration, extractions and bone grafting, ridge augmentations, and the aesthetic placement of dental implants. The thought process that leads to predictable decisions will be elucidated.

At the end of the day, participants will know:

• A 15-minute comprehensive examination
• Diagnosis and treatment of the various forms of periodontal disease
• Achieve greater patient acceptance of comprehensive treatment
• When to save teeth and when to extract and replace
• Understand supportive periodontal therapy, including CT grafts, aesthetic crown lengthening, bone grafting, aesthetic implant placement

Length of Program: ½ Day to 1 Day

The maxillary anterior dental implant is perhaps the most challenging for the clinician. Knowledge of aesthetics, bone grafting, gingival grafting and precise implant placement are essential to achieve an implant restoration indistinguishable from the natural dentition. In modern implant dentistry, mere osseointegration is not enough. We tolerate no less than perfection. Thus the position that creates the most beautiful and functional prosthesis dictates the location of the implant, not the ridge morphology. Today, we simply grow bone where we desire it.

Techniques that are now available to augment hard and soft tissue at the various phases of treatment will be shown. Techniques will include particulate bone grafting, guided bone regeneration with bio-absorbable and non-resorbable membranes, and the use of the osteotomes and ridge expanders. Soft tissue procedures to assure optimal aesthetic reconstruction before implant placement, at implant placement, at second stage surgery and after second stage surgery will also be demonstrated. These include flap designs to optimize ideal soft tissue profiles, three-dimensional connective tissue grafting and the use of number of second stage surgical flap designs. The requirements and limitation of papilla regeneration between implants, implants and natural teeth, and implants and pontics will be shown.
The sequence and timing of implant placement and regeneration will vary depending on the situation. Implant placement may be immediate or delayed up to nine months depending on the quality and quantity of bone. The advantages and disadvantages of each of the treatment modalities will also be discussed. Four grafting timing possibilities will be discussed: 1) at the time of extraction (site preservation); 2) post extraction (ridge augmentation); 3) simultaneous with extraction and implant placement (immediate implantation); and 4) post extraction with simultaneous implantation and ridge augmentation (peri-implant GBR).

Course Objectives:

• Treatment planning for ideal aesthetics
• Gingival augmentation options — grafts and surgical design
• Philosophy of bone regeneration
• When to bone graft and with what
• Treatment sequencing
• Immediate versus delayed placement
• Flap designs
• Sequencing treatment and provisionalization
• Socket preservation techniques
• Second stage surgical techniques
• Reduction of surgical complications

Length of Program: ½ Day to 2 Days

Today in implant dentistry, osseointegration alone is no longer enough. Implants must not only be osseointegrated but in the right place and aesthetically pleasing. The excuse, “Well that is where the bone was,” is no longer acceptable. Thus the position that creates the most beautiful and functional prosthesis dictates the location of the implant, not the ridge morphology. Today, we simply grow bone where we desire it. Techniques that are now available to augment hard and soft tissue at the various phases of treatment will be shown. Techniques will include particulate bone grafting, guided bone regeneration with bio-absorbable and non-resorbable membranes, and the use of ridge expanders.

In addition, a thorough discussion of surgical technique, including flap designs, suturing techniques, second stage procedures and post-operative management, will be discussed. The sequence and timing of implant placement and regeneration will vary depending on the situation. Implant placement may be immediate or delayed up to nine months depending on the quality and quantity of bone. The advantages and disadvantages of each of the treatment modalities will also be discussed. Four grafting timing possibilities will be discussed:

1) At the time of extraction (site preservation)
2) Post extraction (ridge augmentation, sinus grafting, ridge expansion)
3) Simultaneous with extraction and implant placement (immediate implantation)
4) Post extraction and ridge augmentation (per-implant GBR)

Length of Program: ½ Day to 1 Day

The surgical success of dental implants has become quite predictable. Strategies and techniques exist today that have changed older paradigms of implant therapy and allow implant treatment to be accelerated. These include the immediate placement of dental implants at the time of extraction as well as the immediate provisional restoration of implants at the time of placement.

This presentation will focus on the parameters that must be considered during the diagnostic phase to assure successful and precise implant placement at these different phases of treatment. Included will be a clinical and research-based review of the indications and contraindications for immediate implant placement, immediate loading of dental implants placed into “healed” extraction sites.

• Immediate versus delayed implant placement

• Indications and contraindications
• Pre-surgical planning — radiographs, wax-up, stent, provisionalization
• Sequence of treatment
• Flap design and suturing technique
• When to bone graft
• Gingival augmentation
• DIEM — immediate loading protocols (delayed and immediate)

Length of Program: ½ Day to 1 Day

Comprehensive treatment planning of the aesthetic restorative case can be challenging. Ideal treatment involves treatment of the teeth, gingiva and bone. The key to success is to understand and develop predictable strategies in patient care.

What works and does not work?

Dr Sonick will discuss the thought process, communication methods and techniques necessary in order to achieve ideal aesthetic and healthy prosthetic reconstruction of the maxillary anterior region.
Included will be a discussion of the following:

• Diagnosis of tooth size and gingival architecture discrepancies
• Parameters for dental and gingival aesthetics
• Digital Smile Design
• Sequencing restorative and surgical treatment
• Aesthetic crown lengthening and gingival augmentation techniques

Length of Program: ½ Day to 1 Day

The multiplicity of manners to address the discrepancies of dental gingival anatomy will be addressed. Advances in plastic surgical techniques have given us the ability to predictably regenerate lost gingival tissues. Techniques for connective tissue and free gingival grafting will be demonstrated and shown.
Regeneration of the lost periodontium is not only possible but also predictable. Techniques for augmenting gingival tissue around the teeth will be shown. The technique and indications for the free gingival graft, subepithelial connective tissue graft and use of ADM (acellular dermal matrix) will be elucidated. In addition, the management of the edentulous ridge will be discussed. Techniques for ridge augmentation at the time of extraction and post extraction will be demonstrated.

Topics to be discussed:

• Ideal gingival aesthetics
• Gingival augmentation techniques for root coverage
• Subepithelial connective tissue graft
• Tunneling procedures
• Free gingival graft
• ADM (acellular dermal matrix)
• Pontic designs and site development
• Creating the ovate pontic
• Papilla regeneration
• Second-stage surgical procedures for dental implants
• Guided gingival growth
• Recapturing soft tissue around dental implants
• Managing aesthetic deformities
• Sequencing restorative and surgical treatment

Length of Program: ½ Day to 1 Day

The surgical success of dental implants has become quite predictable. In order to achieve optimal function, aesthetics and long-term success in the final implant restoration, pre-surgical evaluation, diagnosis and treatment planning is of paramount importance.

This course is designed to help the practitioner take their practice to the next level. This presentation will focus on the parameters that must be considered during the diagnostic phase to assure successful and precise implant placement. Included will be a thorough discussion of treatment planning, surgical drilling protocol, osteotome techniques, incision design, suturing, second-stage surgery and follow-up care. The importance of precision three-dimensional positioning will also be covered. Participants will have an opportunity to place implants in saw bone mandibles.

Covered Topics Include:

• Diagnosis and treatment planning
• Patient examination
• Radiographic protocols
• Presurgical planning
• Diagnostic Models and stent fabrication
• Surgical set up
• Positioning for Ideal implant placement
• Flap design and suturing technique
• Socket preservation techniques
• Bone grafting
• Timing of implant placement
• Second stage surgical strategies
• Provisionalization
• Staging treatment from teeth to implants

Course Objectives

• To recognize the indications for implant placement
• How to diagnose bone quality and quantity prior to implant placement
• To learn how to use stents to position implants ideally
• Enhance surgical techniques for flap design and suturing techniques
• Understand second stage surgical procedures

Length of Program: ½ Day to 1 Day

This course will highlight the rationale and techniques for the implementation of periodontal surgery into practice. Great emphasis will be placed on comprehensive diagnosis, proper treatment planning and precise controlled surgical techniques that lead to predictable results.

A variety of surgical techniques and their rationale will be demonstrated for pocket elimination as well as regenerative procedures including bone grafting and guided tissue regeneration. An attempt will be made to make sense out of the multiplicity of flap procedures and designs, including indications for sulcular versus inverse bevel incisions, full thickness versus split thickness flaps, and apically positioned versus repositioned flaps.

Suturing styles, techniques and indications will be discussed in detail, including simple interrupted, continuous sling, horizontal mattress, internal vertical mattress and external vertical mattress.
A papillary retention flap technique for anterior maxilla will be demonstrated. This flap enables one to provide anterior pocket elimination without disfiguration. Indications for mucogingival surgery will be discussed. The free gingival graft and the subepithelial connective tissue graft will be demonstrated in detail. An appreciation for the predictable regeneration of soft tissue for health and aesthetics will be gained. Knowledge needed for the successful incorporation of these techniques into practice will be gained. Participants will have the opportunity to clinically apply the material on calf jaws.

You will learn the following:

• When is periodontal surgery indicated
• When to use various surgical techniques
• Different suturing techniques and when to apply them
• When each periodontal surgical procedure is necessary
• Altering the dental gingival junction for ideal aesthetic rehabilitation
• Ridge augmentation and root coverage procedures

Length of Program: ½ Day to 1 Day

Implant therapy is now considered the standard of care in dental practice. Initial success approaches upwards of 95%. However, ideal functional and aesthetic long term success, while the goal, may not always be achieved. Most implant failures can be avoided by comprehensive treatment planning and thoughtful execution. Complications can be in the realm of treatment planning, restorative failure, infection, paresthesia, bone loss, gingival recession, and loss of osseointegration resulting in ridge resorption and aesthetic deformity.

Upon completion of this course the participants should be able to:

• Understand the costs, risks and benefits to the multiplicity of patient treatment options
• Perform proper diagnosis to avoid implant restorative and surgical complications
• Diagnose, plan and treat implant failures

Length of Program: ½ Day

A healthy periodontium is the foundation of a healthy mouth and hence much of dentistry. Periodontal diseases are rampant, and clinicians are challenged to provide the appropriate therapy. The algorithm of ideal medical and dental care is as follows: examination, followed by diagnosis, treatment plans and treatment. The initial dental examination is the sine qua non of ideal dental treatment. The basics of the comprehensive examination needed to arrive at a periodontal and restorative diagnosis is elucidated. The initial examination is reviewed in detail, including the impact of medical history on the progression and etiology of periodontal disease, the radiographic exam, subtleties of the intraoral and extraoral examination, the importance of sequential probing, differences between attachment loss and pocket depth, the diagnosis of furcations and their impact on treatment and prognosis, mucogingival considerations and their treatment, and the occlusal examination.

The various diagnoses of periodontal diseases are also addressed. The classification of periodontal diseases is reviewed, including gingival diseases, chronic periodontitis and aggressive periodontitis. A review of appropriate treatment options for these diseases is covered as well as appropriate treatment for mucogingival deficiencies and aesthetics. An algorithm for sequencing treatment is essential for developing predictable comprehensive treatment. This material is indispensable to all clinicians desiring to provide excellent care.

Length of Program: ½ Day to 1 Day