Dr Alexandru Georgescu

For the dental community in Romania, the ITI represents a cornerstone of professional development and the exchange of expertise at an international level. Through the ITI Study Club meetings in Bucharest, dentists gain access to the latest implant treatment methods, scientifically validated by the international community. Attending these meetings offers a unique opportunity to present clinical cases, receive feedback and learn from the experience of fellow professionals. For future sessions, we are focusing on exploring and implementing innovations in oral surgery, with an emphasis on the revolutionary Smile in a Box™ concept from Straumann®, which promises greater comfort, precision and safety for patients.

I am interested in everything to do with full-mouth rehabilitation using 4 or 6 implants. Each implant manufacturer has given this procedure a different name. For example, at Straumann, we refer to it as ProArch, whilst at Nobel, we refer to it as All-on-4. I shall limit myself to these two manufacturers, both of which currently have their headquarters in Switzerland, just like ITI, and I do not believe this is a coincidence. Both manufacturers invest considerable resources in research, and the implant systems they have developed are scientifically validated.

I joined the team led by Oana Taban back in 2002 and have been part of the entire journey that has shaped what DENT ESTET is today. I really appreciated the openness to new ideas and innovation. She has always wanted us to have the latest technologies and to keep up to date with the newest treatment methods. As a doctor, you want to be part of a team that is constantly evolving, one that has never reached a plateau. 

Every time a new technology becomes available on the market, it presents both a challenge and an opportunity. It is a challenge because, whilst you may have had years of experience and the expertise to provide high-quality treatment using an analogue method up to that point, you suddenly have to start from scratch and learn a new system all over again. You embark on a new learning curve, which can take weeks or months before you reach a level of excellence with the new technology, during which time you may face frustration or a sense of regression. 
However, we must put the efforts involved into perspective and keep in mind the greater good of the patient, who benefits from the increased comfort offered by digital technologies. For example, when the intraoral scanner first appeared, the advantage for the patient was clear – it is far more comfortable to scan digitally rather than take impressions with traditional impression materials.
 

First of all, I’d like to mention Mari Grecu Pîrvan, who is the nurse I’ve been working with since the very beginning. Every doctor knows that the nurse you work alongside takes some of the weight off your shoulders—the things that wear you down and weigh you down little by little—which is why I really appreciate being able to rely on her. 
As for the colleagues I work with across disciplines, over the years, as a periodontist, I have worked with orthodontists, but also with other colleagues, such as Erika Vasilescu or Vanda Popa, on endodontic treatments. Also, with my wife, Dana Georgescu, who handles the prosthetics in many of my implant cases.
 

There is no doubt that the progress and development of implantology as a science has been an integral part of our professional development. I performed my first implant treatment in 2006, and prior to that, I trained through the implantology competency programme and by working alongside doctors more experienced than myself. My first mentor in implantology was Dr Puiu Nicolescu, who was part of the first generation of doctors trained to provide treatments using modern dental implant systems. I should mention that the first department of implantology in our country was established at the military hospital around the year 2000.
The available technologies have changed significantly. Whereas back then we had panoramic or retro-alveolar X-rays at our disposal and only had access to CBCT under special circumstances, today, dental radiology and imaging devices have diversified. Nowadays, CBCT is a must in implantology; instead of traditional impressions, we have the intraoral scanner at our disposal, and we can create digital guides for both the surgical and prosthetic stages. Furthermore, implant systems have evolved and are becoming increasingly sophisticated year on year.
 

Any periodontist can also be an implantologist, but every implantologist must be a periodontist.
Dentistry is already a medical speciality in its own right, distinct from general medicine, and the fact that we have divided it into even more specialised fields sometimes carries the risk of losing sight of the bigger picture when it comes to treatment. As an implantologist, I believe it is essential to view dental health holistically, because there is no point in placing an implant if you do not also examine the supporting tissue – that is, the gums – which must be healthy for the treatment to be successful in the long term. 
 

Spending time in nature always restores your balance and heals you. I chose yachting because, ultimately, it can be a way of life.