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Mini-dental implanting holds promise, says expert

A Correspondent

Eddie Gillespie

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Mini-dental implanting (MDI), a cost-effective microsurgical procedure for stabilising dentures, holds promise in India, according to Eddie Gillespie of the University of Oklahoma.

He was here to attend a workshop on `Oral rehabilitation with dental implants' organised by Centre for Advanced Dental Studies (CADS) here on Tuesday.

Elaborating on the latest innovation in dental surgery, Dr. Gillespie said patients all over the world have experienced relief from loose or ill-fitting dentures by opting for the procedure.

A miniature titanium implant acts like the root of the patients' tooth and helps stabilise the denture. The entire process takes only an hour and no preparations are required for the patients. There is no swelling, pain or bleeding afterwards.

According to Dr. Gillespie, MDI is very affordable and available at a fraction of the cost of traditional implants. "Indian dental doctors are well qualified and the cost of treatment is quite low in India than in other countries," he said in response to a question on why foreigners came to India for dental surgery.

Earlier, inaugurating the workshop, diabetologist Jothy Dev Kesavadev stressed the need for oral hygiene and pointed out that halitosis, or bad breath, may trigger systemic problems such as heart disease and strokes if left untreated.

He said diabetic patients are prone to halitosis and should give extra care to maintain oral hygiene. Dentists should emphasise that improving dental health generally and gum health in particular may help reduce the risk of coronary diseases, he added.

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