Australasian Dentist Issue 92

CATEGORY AUSTRALASIAN DENTIST 69 LINICAL was to ‘flood’ a wide area of skin with the hyaluronidase, in the hope that it would reach the site required, wherever that may have been. Commonly, while emergency complications may have been addressed using this saturation approach, the skin is left in a compromised state – dry, flaky and irritated – requiring further intervention to restore health and aesthetics. With the use of US, in the same way as injections of dermal filler can be guided in the first instance, so too can injections of hyaluronidase, such that only small droplets of the drug are needed, precisely placed in the exact area of vascular blockage or excess filler placement, avoiding collateral damage to adjacent skin and structures. Adopting the new standard A substantial body of research has shown that the ability to now use US chairside has set a new standard for clinical care in dento- facial rejuvenation, improving results and increasing safety. With the availability of this imaging technology, facial procedures have now been brought into line with the long- standing norms of traditional dentistry. This may mean that should a practitioner fail to adopt this new standard of care, continuing instead to fly blind, they may very well be exposed to regulatory action and litigation in the event of sub-optimal outcomes or complications. Adopting this newstandard of care early will continue to set dentists as the gold- standard in the industry. In a world where patients are increasingly moving away from practitioners who focus on an out-dated approach of basic cosmetic injecting in favour of responsible practitioners focused on proper healthcare delivery, (see article in the previous edition of Australasian Dentist magazine), they are now willing to pay a premium to ensure they receive a higher level of care. The use of US guided treatment gives practitioners a powerful and marketable point of difference. Dentists starting their education in dento-facial procedures with AADFA, benefit from the fact that US technology protocols are now incorporated into every training program as standard. Those practitionerswhohave trainedpreviously in dento-facial procedures will need to ensure they move swiftly to build US protocols in their practice, with AADFA now offering a bridging course called ‘Phono’, designed to keep your practice at the forefront of modern dentistry. u Fig.3: Ultrasound can be used in real-time to guide injections and manage complications. For more information regarding all aspects of facial rejuvenation in dentistry, contact the industry pioneers at AADFA by emailing: admin@AADFA.net