Lasting Impressions | Summer 2016

40 x NSU LASTING IMPRESSIONS LESS TIME IN THE CHAIR The second study, which is also supported with a research grant by the same company, was initiated by Koutouzis and his research team. Expediting implant treatments using available technology is the focus of the study. Using single teeth implant replacement as the model, a digital scan of a mold of the tooth is used to plan the implant, abutment, and crown placement. The periodontist can create the perfect fit without having the patient return to the office again and again. Koutouzis said what he is looking at with creating the case “completely digitally” is minimizing the time the patient needs to invest in the pre-implant stages. “I believe it is a big benefit, but our research is looking at how to ensure that it will not compromise the quality of the work,” he said. The study will look at all possible sides of the equation. Does the digital flow work? Is the placement accurate? “You can plan something on the computer, but even a small variance can make a big difference,” Koutouzis said. And then there’s the question that every professional will have to ask themselves. “Do you want to spend more time with a computer in your office perfecting the treatment or with your patient in the chair?” Koutouzis arrived at NSU with the two grants in tow. He plans to expand his research at the university to study biomaterials for bone and soft tissue for use in periodon- tics. “In the (periodontal) field, one thing leads to another,” he said. “My goal is to eventually make NSU a preferred research center for the industry.” ◆ STUDENT, ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR HONORED CDM postgraduate dental student Fatemeh Gholami and associate professor Theofilos Koutouzis, D.D.S., M.S., were awarded third place at the Academy of Osseointegration annual meeting for their poster, “The Effect of Abutment Reconnection and Disconnec- tion on Peri-Implant Marginal Bone: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.” Their entry was selected from more than 250 posters presented at the meeting. ◆ Theofilos Koutouzis, whose specialty is implant research, is currently working on two studies sponsored by a major implant manufacturer to test new products and procedures. Re earch s