Reflections on Long-term outcomes in Implant Dentistry from My EAO 2025 Presentation

Speed or Longevity?

Technology is accelerating everything we do in implant dentistry. Workflows are faster. Planning is digital and placement is guided. Robotics and AI are no longer theoretical.

But only time determines success.

When I was invited to speak at EAO on the subject of time, I realised this was not a technical lecture. It was a philosophical one.

The real question is not how fast we can move. It’s whether what we do will last.

Preservation or Presentation?

During the lecture, I asked the audience the following questions:

• Have we traded preservation for presentation?
• Are we removing teeth because implants are predictable? 
• Are we doing the above because the workflow is streamlined or because the immediate result looks impressive?

I shared a case that was treated conservatively. Twenty-eight years later, it remains functional.

Can we do this in every case? No.

Can we do it in some? Yes.

And that matters.

Technology Is a Tool Not the Outcome

Guided surgery improves precision. Digital planning improves communication. But only time determines success.

I shared something personal: Some of my own implant cases at 19 and 25 years are not pretty.

And the more implants I place, the more I want to save teeth. Because teeth are timeless.

Watch the Full Lecture

In the full lecture, I explore this tension regarding long-term outcomes in implant dentistry in depth, including long-term case reflections and the role technology should play in our decision-making.

If these questions resonate with you, I invite you to watch the complete presentation below.