Overcoming treatment dilemmas with dental implants – congenitally missing lateral incisors
The aim of this lecture is to underline the critical points of dental implant rehabilitation in the case of lateral incisor agenesis, address potential clinical challenges, and provide recommendations for improving treatment outcomes. Unilateral or bilateral congenital absence of lateral incisors represents severe esthetic and functional deficiency. The validity of dental implant therapeutic strategy for various clinical scenarios of missing teeth is well-known. Still, concerning lateral incisor agenesis, some specific pre-treatment steps should be revisited. Adequate time for implant placement, proper spatial and dimensional estimations of future implant sites, and appropriate implant diameter selection may reduce potential therapeutic failures. According to the prosthetically-promoted plan, an accurate three-dimensional implant position ensures stable esthetic results. Bearing in mind the clinical complexity of lateral incisor hypodontia cases, a multidisciplinary planning and executing approach is essential for obtaining foreseeable results. Orthodontic pre-implantation treatment is mandatory, with termination prior to the surgery. Narrow-diameter implants appear to be a reliable treatment choice. A guided surgical approach is recommended, with grafting methods performed either simultaneously or as a two-stage surgery. Compliance with a pre-defined key protocol points for implant rehabilitation of lateral incisor agenesis carries the potential to optimize the longstanding performance of dental implant treatment in the esthetic zone.
Biography:
Asst. Dr Jovana Marković, born on January 18, 1992, in Belgrade, Serbia, is a highly skilled dentist specializing in Prosthodontics and Implantology. She completed her studies at the University of Belgrade's School of Dental Medicine in 2017, where she received an award for the best average grade in her final year. Jovana is currently pursuing a PhD and is a resident in Prosthodontics at the same institution.
In 2022, Dr. Marković was selected as an ITI Scholar at Harvard School of Dental Medicine, furthering her expertise in dental implants. She has been a Teaching Assistant at the Clinic for Prosthodontics since 2018 and has contributed to various research projects, including a study on immediate versus conventional implant loading.
Dr. Marković is a frequent speaker at dental conferences, including ITI Education Week in Belgrade and Boston, and is a member of several professional organizations, including the Serbian Society for Oral Implantology and the European Association for Osseointegration. She is also involved in ongoing clinical trials, further advancing the field of dental implants.
