Dive deep into the advanced world of pterygoid implant placement with Dr. Clark as he shares game-changing insights that can transform your full-arch implant practice. This episode tackles one of the most challenging aspects of full-arch rehabilitation – achieving perfect prosthetic outcomes through precise surgical execution.
Dr. Clark challenges conventional wisdom about pterygoid implant placement depth, advocating for a more nuanced approach where anterior implants are placed first, followed by adjusting pterygoid depth to ensure all abutment platforms align perfectly. This seemingly subtle shift eliminates uneven prosthetic thickness and tissue complications. The discussion on tissue management reveals how proper thinning of tuberosity and palatal tissues creates silky smooth foundations for prosthetics, saving chairtime and preventing fractures despite initial hesitation about bleeding management.
Perhaps most revolutionary is Dr. Clark's definitive stance on implant configurations, declaring the inverted V superior to traditional axial placement. With persuasive reasoning about prosthetic flexibility and surgical contingencies, he demonstrates why angled implants provide infinitely better options for screw channel positioning. His detailed explanation of multi-unit abutment height selection challenges widespread misconceptions, showing how matching abutment height to implant depth (using 1.5mm abutments for 1mm subcrestal implants) accounts for post-surgical bone resorption and creates beautiful emergence profiles without prosthetic flanges.
For clinicians struggling with postoperative complications, Dr. Clark offers practical solutions like doxycycline protocols and bleeding management techniques using 2-0 chromic gut suture. These pearls of wisdom demonstrate why even experienced surgeons continue to learn from each visit to his courses.
Ready to transform your approach to full-arch implant cases? Listen now to gain insights that will elevate your practice and create more predictable, aesthetic outcomes for your patients. Share your experiences with these techniques and join the conversation about the evolution of implant dentistry.