November 22, 2010
School of Dentistry, Kochi
 

In the recently convened 38th National Conference of Indian Prosthodontic Society (IPS) at Indore, postgraduate trainees of Amrita’s School of Dentistry received many accolades.
 

Dr. Liji Mathew, Department of Prosthodontics, won the best paper award for her paper titled Implant Micro Design – Variations for Predictable Osseointegration. The paper reviewed biological responses of dental implants to various surface topographies.
 

Clinical success of dental implants is related to their osseointegration. What this means is that the implant should connect to the osseous tissue. No intervening connective tissue exists; the implant itself is made of an inert, alloplastic material.
 

“To attain reliable osseointegration, there should be a high percentage of bone to implant contact,” Dr. Liji explained. “Dynamics of osseointegration is influenced by implant design and surface topographies.”
 

Dr. Ligi elaborated further.
 

“Today, we have moved from an era of macro-designing to micro and to nano surface roughness. Nano scale roughening of the bone surface enhances osseointergration at submicron level and boosts healing.”
 

“Further randomized control trials with a follow-up of at least 5 years are required to establish correct results,” she concluded.
 

Dr. Ipe Sabu K., of the same department won the second best poster award for his poster titled Prosthetic Appliance for Sealed Source Radiotherapy [Brachytherpy].
 

A form of radiotherapy that is used for the treatment of malignancies, brachytherapy has the radiation source placed inside or near the area requiring treatment.
 

The exposure of healthy tissue to the radiation source is thereby reduced. This mode of treatment reduces the adverse effects of radiotherapy, including destruction of healthy tissue.
 

Dr. Ipe’s poster depicted the use of a modified prosthetic appliance made for the treatment of mucoepidermoid carcinoma of the hard palate in a 13-year-old patient.
 

“The case was diagnosed at an early stage and brachytherapy was planned after the surgical excision of the lesion,” explained Dr. Ipe. “The treatment was carried out using the intra oral prosthetic appliance.”
 

The adverse effects of external beam radiotherapy on the adjacent anatomical structures were minimized.
 

Both postgraduate trainees expressed gratitude to Dr. Sherry Peter [Head and Neck Institute] and Dr. Vijay Gopal [Department of Radiation Oncology] for their guidance. They also acknowledged the support of their professors, Dr. Anil Mathew, Dr. Vinod Krishnan, Dr. Arun Keepanasseril, Dr. Manju V., Dr. Tony C. Thomas, and Dr. Aswini Kumar K.