The Future Is Now At Asia-Pacific’s Largest Dentistry Event

Dentists, dental manufacturers and academics gathered to discuss the latest developments in dental practice at IDEM Singapore 2014, held at Suntec Singapore Convention and Exhibition Center.

AsianScientist (Apr. 30, 2014) – This year’s International Dental Exhibition and Meeting (IDEM), held on 4-6 April, brought together close to 8,000 dentists, dental technicians and academics for a scientific conference and trade fair. Now into its eighth edition, Asia Pacific’s largest dental event spanned both floors of the newly refurbished Suntec Singapore Convention and Exhibition Center, occupying a total of 16,000 sqm.

At the scientific conference, themed Dentistry – The Future Is Now, leading dental practitioners shared the latest developments in their respective fields, on topics ranging from endodontics to orthodontics and the latest infection control measures.

Piezosurgery: precision bone cutting

One of the talks, by Dr. Chien Hua-Hong, Clinical Associate Professor at the Ohio State University College of Dentistry, discussed the use of ultrasound in dentistry, otherwise known as piezosurgery. Titled The Place of Piezosurgery in Operative Dentistry, Periodontology and Exodontia, it outlined the uses and benefits of piezosurgery, focusing particularly on dental implants.

Dr. Chien Hua-Hong at his talk The Place of Piezosurgery in Operative Dentistry, Periodontology and Exodontia.
Dr. Chien Hua-Hong at his talk The Place of Piezosurgery in Operative Dentistry, Periodontology and Exodontia.

Ultrasound refers to the sound waves that oscillate at a frequency above the human hearing range. In the medical field, ultrasonic scans commonly refer to sonograms, a well-recognized technique used as a non-invasive method to image fetuses as they develop in the womb. What is less well known, however, is the use of ultrasound in dentistry, which first began in the 1950’s.

In the last twenty years, piezosurgery has developed the use of lower frequency ultrasound (10-60 kHz) for the selective cutting of bone. Traditional bone drilling has been done manually or with motorized drills, but these methods do not offer precise control and generate a lot of heat, damaging the surrounding tissue. At the lower frequencies used for piezosurgery, ultrasonic tools cut through hard mineralized bone but do not damage the surrounding soft tissue or generate high amounts of heat.

“Piezosurgery is especially useful when you have a sinus, nerve or blood vessel as it allows you to perform the operation without damaging or cutting these delicate tissues. There will be less bleeding and no damage to the soft tissue.” Chien said.

“In dentistry, we use this technique to clear up the implant site which doesn’t have enough bone tissue to support the implant. We first cut open the site, fill it in with some bone grafts and then build up the site for later implant placement.”

During his talk, Chien screened several videos demonstrating how to perform piezosurgeries and also featured several successful cases he has worked on. As helpful as the videos were, Chien emphasized that hands on training is essential.

“This technique is very sensitive and there is a learning curve for beginners. You will have to take some basic courses before you attempt it. These basic courses will have some hands on components on animals like pigs, so you can work on the pig jaw to develop your skills,” he stressed.

Chien believes that developing the skill for piezosurgery will be well worth the effort. “It’s safer, allowing you to make precise cuts and preserve the anatomical structures that you don’t want to damage. I believe the dentists will like to use it,” he said.

Talk participant Dr. Wong Yew Cheong of AA Dental Surgery in Singapore agreed, “This talk on piezosurgery in implants is very interesting. The use of this equipment is very good because it does precise and clean cuts. The speaker has done great justice to the topic; the presentation has been excellent.”


The next big thing in dentistry: 3D printing

Aside from the well-received scientific program, IDEM 2014 also launched three new sub-events: the Dental Technician Forum, the Dental Hygienist and Dental Therapist Forum and the New Dentist Forum. This was in recognition that modern dentistry is practiced in teams that include not only the dentist but also dental technicians and dental hygienists, and that all team members need to keep up to date with the latest in dental technology.

The Dental Technician Forum was accredited by the American Dental Association (ADA) Center for Advanced Professional Practices (CAPP) to provide continued professional development hours. One of the hottest topics to be discussed at the Dental Technician Forum was 3D printing, with four talks covering issues such as computer assisted design and computer assisted manufacturing (CAD/CAM), oral scanners and biocompatible materials.

Dentists have traditionally made orthodontic appliances by first taking an impression from the patient and then creating a plaster model that is sent to a lab for scanning, a laborious and time consuming process that could take two weeks or more. Companies such as Sirona, NextDent and 3DSystems, which were represented at the IDEM trade fair, have developed systems that would allow dentists to digitally scan a patient’s mouth and use CAD/CAM to make the orthodontic appliance in the clinic within the hour.

Dr. Andrea M. Agnini (Left) and Dr. Alessandro Agnini lecturing at the Dental Technician Forum IDEM Singapore 2014.
Dr. Andrea M. Agnini (left) and Dr. Alessandro Agnini (right) lecturing at the Dental Technician Forum IDEM Singapore 2014.

Requiring a high precision fit into the highly variable and sensitive oral environment of each patient, orthodontics is a natural application for 3D printing. Although 3D printing systems were prohibitively expensive in the past, even small labs and clinics might be able to afford the newer systems available in the market today. As the scanning technology continues to grow in sophistication, and new durable and biocompatible materials are developed, 3D printing might be the method of choice for dentists in the future.

Apart from the scientific conference, IDEM Singapore 2014 also featured a trade exhibition with more than 500 exhibitors from 38 countries. The exhibitors showcased their state of the art products and services, providing dental health teams a one-stop source for a wide spectrum of dental equipment across every sector of the dental market. Participants were also exposed to the latest dental technologies and best practices through live demonstrations and hands on activities.

Asian Scientist Magazine is a media partner of Suntec Singapore Convention & Exhibition Center.

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Copyright: Asian Scientist Magazine; Photos: IDEM Singapore 2014.
Disclaimer: This article does not necessarily reflect the views of AsianScientist or its staff.

Rebecca did her PhD at the National University of Singapore where she studied how macrophages integrate multiple signals from the toll-like receptor system. She was formerly the editor-in-chief of Asian Scientist Magazine.

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