Lake Como-The Calm after the Storm
If Pete Sanders www.dentalconfidence.com and Dermott Mcnulty www.bathspadentistry.com who are the program directors from the FGDP diploma in implant dentistry (for more information click here) meant to give us contrast in the inaugural program in Italy then their aims have been well and truly met.
After the day before where we witnessed the firebrand southern preacher pushing the limits of biomechanics and surgery with the fixed on 2 concept (Dr Cannizzaro) came the calm measured reason of Professor Tiziano Testori at the Lake Como Institute (see website here ) who showed us sinus augmentation lsurgery live focused on predictability and a touch of class.
By the shore of Lake Como, in a truly phenomenal dedicated teaching facility, reason and science replaced emotion and intuition.
The day started with a clear explanation of the micro and macro anatomy of the maxillary sinus, followed by a description of the live cases we would be seeing, after which the live surgery began.
We watched one of the cleanest and tidiest (if not the cleanest and tidiest) surgeons I have seen show us the best way (in his view) to carry out sinus augmentation. I have sat through a lot of sinus augmentation surgery, if I put all of it together, probably 7 days in total, but this was up there with the best.
Every part of the process that he was doing came with a clear and calm explanation the surgery was methodical, with every process came with a hint and tip on how to improve, and there was something for everyone, beginners and experienced implant dentists all left knowing more about how to improve their practice.
My mother uses a phrase that comes to mind- “experience is the best teacher, the problem is the fees are too high”
This was a chance for us to learn from someone who has paid more than their fair share of the fees in gaining their experience, without having to pay and “fees” ourselves.
Many thanks to Proffesoor Testori and his team, for the warm welcome and the excellent food and hospitality, and this was at least on a par as the day before.
Everyone has complications, to quote Nigel Jones (the lead tutor on the FGDP program, website here) “complications can occur during complex treatments”, but more experienced operators are able to manage their complications.
As you get better at performing certain treatments you should get higher success rates, but you will still get failures.
More meticulous technique leads to less less infection.
Base what you do on science and methodology that someone else has worked out.
There is still so much more to learn.
As always It was also a pleasure to learn from, bounce ideas off and spend time with the other FGDP tutors:- Will Murpy, Harmit Kalsi and David Gonzalez.
If carlsberg ran an implant course… The FGDP diploma would be heavily involved.
Goodbye Italy, it’s been enlightening, challenging, fun and tasty.
