BTI

Dr.Rafael Pla

Curriculum Vitae

M.D. Medicine and Surgery Universidad de Murcia-1981.

D.D.S. Universidad Compultense de Madrid-1984.

Author of numerous articles and publications on Porcelain Laminates, Aesthetics, Prosthetics and Implantology.

Professor-Restorative Dentistry, Porcelain Laminates and Implantology in Spain, Portugal and Latin America.

Taught 80-hour postgraduate course: “Oral Rehabilitation for the General Dentist."

Taught 100-hour postgraduate course: “Implantology for the General Dentist: Surgery and Prosthetics " Taught the 4-module series: “Advanced Dentistry Update" 7 times.

Author of DVD “Porcelain Laminates. Step-by-Step Technique ".

Author of 4-DVD series “Occlusion. Step-byStep.”

First Prize-Murcia Regional Scientific Days Competition

My experience with BTI

I began my career in Dentistry in 1984 and had the good fortune of meeting Dr. Eduardo Anitua two years later. From that moment, his contagious and untiring quest for better dental procedures profoundly influenced me.

We formed a friendship based on our mutual interest in applying aesthetic and functional concepts at a time when it was not the norm among our colleagues.

Thus, we were pioneers in fused porcelain dental restorations when they were beginning to gain popularity

Dr. Anitua was also one of the first in using implants routinely to solve the problem of tooth replacement. Those first years were exciting, but it was also very hard to have to take the time to refine the systems and the techniques based on the successes and failures we had.

Soon, we realized the paramount importance of having the support of a serious implant manufacturer —one capable of innovation and open to the suggestions that we, as clinicians, could offer. Thus began a fruitful era of collaboration with the American company 3i.

Some years later, detecting a lack of innovation and response to clinicians’ suggestions, Eduardo undertook a project broad in scope; namely, the creation of a solid company dedicated to implantology.

I must admit that at the outset it seemed to me a little risky, but I did not hesitate for a minute to participate in the new project; I knew perfectly well Eduardo’s great potential and his vast experience.

The truth is that I could not imagine that in such a short time BTI could reach the level of development and innovation that it exhibits today.

I think that the success of this company has been based on a series of basic principles:

- To direct all efforts for the benefit of its clients’ patients.

- To form a team completely dedicated and passionate about the project.

- To invest heavily without looking for an immediate gain; rather, reinvesting in developing and strengthening the company.

- To assign a high-priority to the R&D department as the driving force.

- To be receptive to the suggestions of everyone working on the team.

Various circumstances have contributed to making the company under Eduardo Anitua’s leadership one of those at the forefront of implantology worldwide.

I believe that a number of contributions by BTI are revolutionizing implantology, making it more predictable:

- Design of a versatile implant line that allows us to place the ideal fixture in each situation depending on the forces it will have to withstand.

- Development of a line of prosthetic components simple yet with enough versatility to resolve aesthetically and functionally any situation that confronts us.

- Establishment of a simple protocol to obtain from the patient Plasma Rich in Growth Factors to be able to use it routinely to harness the biological mechanisms of healing and regeneration, as well as facilitating the manipulation of particulate grafts. The P.R.G.F technique is being applied more and more in other areas of medicine—and of that, we dentists should feel proud.

- Creation of a surgical instrument line to make surgery easier, and to allow to us to develop simplified techniques such as the motorized expander drills for ridge expansion, the special centering devices for parallelism or very low-speed drilling with bone harvesting burs.

Lastly, I would like to continue with a systematic developed by BTI and which I consider fundamental to achieve what we all seek when we place implants: to reach 100% success in our cases.

I am referring to the concept of DRILLING SEQUENCE: preparing the implant receptor site bearing in mind bone density in that region and the morphology of the implant to be placed.

OBJECTIVES:

- To achieve maximum initial implant stability without bone compression (this would compromise vascular supply to the peri-implant area.)

- To recover as much vital bone as possible in the drills.

REQUIREMENTS

-Meticulous planning with digital CT Scan which provides a reliable measurement of bone density in the area to be implanted (fundamental to calculate the diameter of the site for the implant to be installed and initially stable, and without causing ischemia or compressing bone.)

- Use specially designed drills to cut efficiently at low rpms; the configuration of their flutes harvest and harbor the drilled bone.

- Drill at low rpms (30-50 rpm) and without irrigation.

- Utilize a high-quality motor with reliable implant insertion torque control (it should signal when the implant begins to undergo excessive torque.)

- Place the implant without irrigation.

- Finish installing the implant manually with a torque control ratchet for the final seating of the implant.

ADVANTAGES

- We are able to install the implant in the best biological environment possible (further potentiated if we bioactivate the surface and the receptor site with PRGF) for osseointegration without bone loss.

- We obtain the maximum initial mechanical stability without compression. We will also have a quanitifiable measurement to evaluate from the immediate use of that implant to the moment when seating it at final insertion torque.

- We recover a large volume of vital bone in the best condition to form the ideal autologous particulate graft.

- The drilling process is more comfortable for the patient who never feels the “Black & Decker” drill chatter or swallows cold water.

I believe that the contributions that BTI has given to implantology are many. I have presented only some examples, but seeing the development and evolution of the company, I am certain that the best is yet to come.

Publication date 30 April 2007

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