Dentistry Today would like to welcome Timothy F. Kosinski, DDS, to its staff as our Implants Editor. A Dentistry Today Leader in Continuing Education, he is an affiliated adjunct clinical professor at the University of Detroit Mercy School of Dentistry. He also leads Smile Creator of Bingham Farms, a private practice in Michigan.
Kosinski received his DDS from the University of Detroit Mercy School of Dentistry and his mastership in biochemistry from the Wayne State University School of Medicine. He is a Diplomat of the American Board of Oral Implantology/Implant Dentistry, the International Congress of Oral Implantologists, and the American Society of Osseointegration.
A prolific author, including December 2019’s “From a Removable Appliance to a Fixed Prosthesis: That’s Just What the Doctor Ordered!” and July 2019’s “Aesthetic Case Treatment Planning: It’s Easier and Faster Using a Mobile App,” Kosinksi recently shared some of his thoughts about what he sees ahead for Dentistry Today’s coverage.
Q: You’ve written many articles for Dentistry Today. How does it feel to take this next step and join the masthead?
A: I’ve always liked sharing my clinical experiences with my colleagues, so it was a great honor when Dentistry Today’s Editor in Chief, Dr. Damon Adams, contacted me asking if I would like to take over the position of Implants Editor from Dr. Michael Tischler, who did an amazing job shaping the Implants Todaydepartment.
I believe that Dentistry Todayis the leading practical clinical journal in the profession that just about every dentist reads and enjoys at some point in their day. We have a significant responsibility to be honest and open to our readers about techniques, materials, and procedures that work well. Being able to evaluate and help mold this publication will be very rewarding. It’s what I love to do.
Q: Moving into 2020, what are the biggest trends you see in implant dentistry?
A: Implant dentistry continues to evolve. I have to look back at my 35 years of implant experience and marvel at how techniques and materials have improved our ability to treat our patients to a high level. When I started, implants were considered experimental by many in the profession. Now with proper education, the procedure has become commonplace.
Being able to visualize the case finished was one of the first things taught to me by my early mentors. The advent of CBCT analysis and software diagnosis and planning accelerated this ability. CAD/CAM milling has provided dentists to treat chairside as we choose.
There also is a lot of interest in the newest zirconia implants, which may prove to be the next revolution in our surgical and prosthetic treatment. Shortening treatment times for our patients may prove to be extremely beneficial. Immediate loading of implants has become a popular technique that is marketed extensively as well.
The internet continues to be an important primary source for patient requests. There is still a great number of dentists who will get more involved in implant dentistry, both surgically and prosthetically, so there is a great need for high-level education. Costs to the dentist continue to decrease, which provides us the opportunity to provide outstanding dental care at a more reasonable fee to our patients.
Dental implants have become mainstream in the eyes of the public and the profession. It truly is a boom time for dentistry.
Q: Similarly, what do you see as the biggest challenges?
A: Again, with 35 years of experience with many different designs of implants, I realize that physiology dictates that there will be bone changes around even the best placed implants over time. How we are able to resolve complications and re-treatments may be the profession’s biggest burden.
Everything looks good when it’s first created. Patients make a significant financial and emotional investment in dental implant therapy, so long-term positive prognoses are paramount.
We better be prepared to address these changes. There needs to be a seamless team approach to the process. As technology develops, the communication between the dentist and the highly trained dental technician becomes even more critical.
Q: What kinds of topics do you hope to see covered in the implant articles we will be publishing in 2020 and beyond?
A: In my courses, I see tremendous interest in simple procedures such as extraction techniques and suturing. Of course, a review of predictable and cost-effective surgical and prosthetic techniques from single-tooth to full-arch replacement too is always good. Grafting and predictable bone buildup is within the realm of the general dentist.
I like step by step procedural articles that our readers can incorporate into their practices. Full-arch, immediate load procedures are all the rage right now, but they can be a bit overwhelming to many. Breaking down the techniques to make them reliable to the GP is a good goal to have.
CBCT will be in most offices soon, replacing the panoramic. It provides incredible diagnostic ability. We just become better professionals. Chairside fabrication of guides, transitional appliances, and even final prostheses are here and will continue to improve as the cost of milling machines comes down and their efficiency elevates.
Q: Do you have anything else you would like to add about the state of the profession or about what’s coming next?
A: A practical approach to implant dentistry is important to me. Continuous education and mentoring ensure proficiency and efficiency. Not taking a cookie-cutter approach to every patient situation needs to be understood. Not everyone needs teeth immediately. Removing significant amounts of bone to provide an immediate transitional appliance or bridge may not be the best long-term solution for many of our patients.
As in society, we are all moving so fast, we often expect immediate gratification. However, the fable of the tortoise and the hare may need to be reviewed. A positive end result is most important to us and our patients. Be aware that as our current implant patients get older and develop medical compromises, their teeth still need to be functional. Let’s think long-term successes rather than short-term financial gains.
Related Articles
Tooth Extractions and Bone Grafting
Creating an Autogenous Graft from Extracted Teeth: A Faster Implant Integration Time
Resolving a Common Implant Complication: Creating Attached Gingiva
