A COURSE aimed at teaching Jamaican and other Caribbean dentists how to perform tooth implants, will be put on today and tomorrow at the Cornwall Regional Hospital in St. James.
The course, which will expose dentists to the current techniques and innovations in performing implant operations, is being organised by implantologist, Dr. Chris-topher Ogunsalu, in collaboration with Innova Corpora-tion, an implant manufacturing company operating out of the United States and Canada.
"The course is to let dentists understand that implants is for the general dentists and not for the specialist and oral surgeons," said Dr. Ogunsalu in a recent interview with The Gleaner.
About 16 registered dentists from Jamaica and the Bahamas will participate in the course, free of cost. The two-day course is recognised by the International Congress for Implantologist.
Implant surgery is the most advanced form of tooth replacement. It entails inserting a small titanium screw into the jaw bone where the missing tooth used to be. After the gum heals, the screw becomes an anchor for a crown or cap. The implant is the only permanent method of tooth-replacement.
The current cost of doing a single-tooth implant is about US$1,200 ($50,400). However, with more dentists mastering the technique, the cost could tumble, said Dr. Ogunsalu. "There is going to be competition and it will decrease the cost," he said.
An oral surgeon, Dr. Ogunsalu has been performing implants for the last seven years. He will be the chief instructor at this weekend's course. He will be assisted by two specialists from the United States, whose visit is being sponsored by Innova.
Professor Errol Morrison, Pro Vice Chancellor and Dean of Graduate Studies and Research at the University of the West Indies, will also participate in the course. He will speak to participants about the value of further education.
This is the second course which is being put on by Dr. Ogunsalu since the start of the year. In January, five dentists, including a Bahamian, were exposed to implant techniques.
