Australasian Dentist Magazine May June 2021

Category 114 Australasian Dentist testimonials S ydney CBD dentist and implantologist, Dr Ahmed Elkhatib has established a strong following in Australia – through both his challenging dental work and long list of satisfied patients, and also through his professional education programs. The internationally- trained and locally accredited dental surgeon is the owner and principal at Lumière Dental Centre and has established a study club and live surgery centre at Sydney Implantogenesis. This facility, with its video equipment, training room and television monitors aims to provide guidance for dental professionals looking to expand their knowledge about basic to advanced dental implant therapy. Dr Elkhatib specialises in complex reconstruction and high-end cosmetic work, ranging from porcelain veneers to complete smile makeovers for near edentulous patients. Dr Elkhatib is often the last resort for patients with difficult cases – or where earlier interventions have failed. He finds the work challenging but rewarding by being able to the restore dental functionality and confidence of these patients. Despite being a dental professional for the better part of 20 years, Dr Elkhatib said his working life had recently been made so much easier by the X-Mind Prime 3D CBCT extraoral unit. The X-Mind Prime successfully combines the outstanding image quality and features of its highly regarded predecessor – the X-Mind Trium, with a hitherto unprecedented level of compactness. The X-Mind Prime can be either wall-mounted or floor mounted and fits perfectly in any dental practice, including X-Mind Prime 3D vital aid to surgery Dr Elkhatib’s surgery overlooking Sydney’s Hyde Park. Dr Elkhatib said he was “blown away” with the image clarity of X-Mind Prime and that it had brought new levels of confidence and predictability when placing implants and executing full mouth reconstructions. “The cone beam gives me details of every anatomical structure. There is less shattering and scattering from metals in fillings or appliances – or in the event that someone forgets or is unable to remove a piercing in their nose or tongue for example. “The image is not as noisy as other units and the measurements taken are impeccable – even a 0.5-1.0 mm variation is crucial if you are to avoid vital structures like the maxillary sinus, inferior alveolar nerve or blood vessels.” The accompanying Acteon Imaging Suite (AIS) software has all the inbuilt biometric calculations like rulers, angles and tools to assess bone density to help with implant placement. The X-Mind Prime also has the ability to control the X-ray power levels to change the exposure and contrast. “Bone density in a 20-year-old will be different compared to an older patient, but either may require bone augmentation depending on their circumstances,” Dr Elkhatib explained. The real proof of the pudding is in the stunning clarity of his X-Mind Prime images which reveal sharp and well- contrasted X-rays displaying both hard and soft tissue and vital structures to allow easy diagnosis and assist with implant planning. The adjustable field of view allows Dr Elkhatib to obtain bite wings or to zoom in for periapical images if required, right up to half mouth and full mouth images with the level of detail needed depending on the type of treatments being performed. “I do a lot of major operations such as full mouth reconstructions and receive a lot of referrals of big and difficult cases. It is sometimes hard to do guided surgery in these cases, but with the X-Mind Prime I can see bone density more clearly and am not likely to perforate vital structures because I can easily see where they are and then see the results immediately on my computer to quickly check my work.” The X-Mind images transfer across very quickly which makes it possible to map the nerves and vital structures three dimensionally and display the images in a range of ways from a solid skull to a transparent skull outline. The Aceton Imaging software provides a warning if the implant site is close to vital structures and provides a precise and clear view of the intervention approach required. This imaging capability greatly aids case presentation and enables Dr Elkhatib to easily explain the challenges involved in implant surgery by showing his patients where there is sufficient bone to place an implant, compared to areas with insufficient bone which require bone augmentation before an implant can be attempted. Dr Elkhatib also has a very impressive image library from patient files showing the extent of his work from simple porcelain veneers to extremely complex full mouth reconstructions involving bone augmentation, multiple implants and gingival reshaping. He says his only regret is he didn’t have this imaging capability years ago as he now has the power to easily obtain an image whenever he wants to show the patient or confirm his work while performing complex procedures. u Acteon 02 9669 2292, Toll Free 1300 Acteon (1300 22 83 66) Web: www.acteongroup.com