Vivian Rok | Implant Success Starts Before Surgery: Biologic Risk and Diagnostic-Driven Clinical Dec

While implant dentistry has advanced surgically, complication rates remain influenced by unrecognized biologic and systemic risk factors. This course presents a practical, evidence-informed approach to pre-operative biologic screening, including vitamin D assessment, inflammatory markers such as CRP, and salivary diagnostics. Attendees will compare current testing technologies—including PCR- and sequencing-based platforms—and learn how to interpret findings to identify high-risk patients. Emphasis is placed on actionable thresholds, timing of intervention, and when to delay surgery to improve outcomes. The goal is to shift implant planning from purely mechanical execution to biologically informed decision-making.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify systemic and oral biomarkers—including vitamin D levels, CRP, and salivary profiles—that influence implant success and complication risk. 

• Compare salivary diagnostic platforms, including PCR-based tests and shotgun metagenomic sequencing, and understand their clinical implications. 

• Recognize biologic red flags that warrant modification or delay of surgical treatment. 

• Implement timing-based intervention strategies, including how long to optimize biologic deficiencies prior to implant placement. 

• Integrate biologic risk assessment into informed consent and treatment planning, improving predictability and medico-legal defensibility.