Simplifying the complex with Planmeca’s implant workflow
Dr Samuel Dumortier believes that guided implant surgery has brought both predictability and precision to surgical dental procedures and empowered him to treat complex cases with confidence. As a longtime Planmeca customer, he relies almost exclusively on the Planmeca Romexis® software for digital implant planning and guide design.
The clinic of Drs Samuel Dumortier and Gabriel Fabin, located in the French city of Caen in Normandy, specialises in dental surgery, implantology, and periodontics.
From implant planning to guide production, the doctors believe in the benefits of Planmeca’s fully digital implant workflow. ”I use the Planmeca ProMax® 3D unit every day and spend several hours every week working with the Romexis software,” says Dr Dumortier. “In addition, we use the Planmeca Creo® 3D printer daily, not only for 3D printing implant guides but also for creating anatomical models that help us prepare for reconstructive surgery. My associate works more in prosthetics, so he uses the Planmeca PlanMill® milling unit a lot,” explains Dr Dumortier.In addition to Dumortier and Fabin, the clinic’s staff includes five assistants, two office secretaries and one executive assistant. ”We lean on each other a lot and help each other out. Everyone at our clinic has their own specific expertise.”
Choosing Planmeca – not just once, but twice
Dr Dumortier has been a Planmeca customer for 15 years already. “Initially, I wanted to purchase a high-quality CBCT unit. I ended up choosing Planmeca and have not regretted my choice since. I kept my first unit for over ten years − it never once stopped working nor did it need maintenance, which is quite exceptional.”
When, a few years back, Dr Dumortier decided to renew all his clinic’s equipment, he considered different options before making a final decision. He ended up choosing Planmeca, again. “Having been a Planmeca user for so long gave me a kind of certainty. I also realised that in addition to having a good imaging unit, it’s equally important to have a good software solution. And behind it all, there needs to be a whole team always working to make things better. I am happy to experience that with Planmeca.”
“With Planmeca, whenever I need something, I know that I am being listened to,” he continues.
What used to take hours now only takes a few clicks
Dr Dumortier has been working with guided surgery for over a decade. He says that in the beginning, creating surgical guides was a cumbersome process, since all data had to be transferred to outside software solutions. “It was really time-consuming, and I realised that I needed a uniform software solution. So I began to really study the Romexis software and saw that it met my expectations.”
Dr Dumortier believes that he made the right choice, since what used to take hours now only takes a few clicks. “For four years now, I have performed implant planning and guide design using the Romexis software almost exclusively,” he says.
More precision, predictability and efficiency with guided surgery
According to Dumortier, digital implant planning has brought both predictability and precision to surgical dental procedures.
“We do a lot of extractions and immediate implantations in the anterior sector. I really couldn’t perform these procedures with a clear conscience if I used the freehand technique, because in guided surgery, both precision and predictability are simply superior. You know exactly the result you are going to achieve.”
Dumortier believes that thanks to the development of guided surgery techniques, cases that were complex before have become simple. “Ten years ago, I performed around 30 guided surgery procedures every year – now I do around 200−300. It has become less and less time-consuming, and you can create a guide with just a few clicks. The field continues to evolve, and I think that guided surgery will become indispensable in the future.”
In addition to increased efficiency, new digital tools and workflows have also expanded the potential indications of guided surgery. “In the beginning, we used guided surgery mainly for the rehabilitation of toothless patients. Back then, it was not possible to combine data in a simple way, nor to scan wax-ups. Being able to combine an X-ray and a surface scan really changed the game.”
The many faces of dentistry
Still passionate about what he does, Dr Dumortier enjoys the versatility of his profession.“Initially, I chose dentistry because I wanted to both work with patients and work with my hands,” he says. “Little by little, I discovered all the different aspects of this exciting industry. There’s an emotional side that is important. We accompany our patients through their treatment journey. Then there is a technical side − we get to enjoy new innovations every year, which is wonderful. And of course, there’s teamwork − you must be able to work in a team. All these different faces of dentistry make it a really fascinating profession.”
Copy: Hanna Korlin
Images: Cabinet de chirurgie dentaire, d’implantologie et de parodontologie – Drs Samuel Dumortier et Gabriel Fabin
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