THE ART OF MANAGING A DENTAL PRACTICE FOR COMPLEX CASE SOLUTIONS

In an era of rapidly evolving dental medicine, modern dental practices possess a deeper understanding of the patients' needs and are equipped to handle their concerns effectively, ensuring long-lasting results. Dr Manol Ivchev – one of Bulgaria's leading specialists in functional dentistry, is managing such multidisciplinary practice – COLDY DENT Functional Atelier.

What is functional dentistry

Functional dentistry focuses on diagnosing and treating oral health issues by addressing their root causes rather than just the symptoms. While it works with the scientific base of conventional dentistry, functional dentistry has a holistic approach. Functional dentists consider factors like bite alignment, airway health, jaw function, body posture, the patient's habits and overall well-being. They aim to create long-term solutions that enhance not only the oral but also the systemic health. This is why it incorporates techniques from several disciplines: orthodontics, neuromuscular dentistry, biomimetic dentistry, etc.

What does it treat

Many patients often need advanced, multidisciplinary treatment beyond routine dental care. These cases involve multiple specialties such as orthodontics (teeth alignment); splint therapy (functional dentistry); prosthetics (crowns, veneers); periodontology (gum treatment); implantology; aesthetic dentistry; endodontics (root canal therapy); restorative dentistry (fillings, build-ups, bondings); oral surgery.

Examples of complex dental cases are: temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders; severe malocclusion (misaligned bite requiring orthodontics and prosthodontics); full-mouth rehabilitation (restoring multiple teeth with crowns, bridges, or implants); advanced periodontal disease (requiring gum surgery and bone regeneration); extensive tooth loss (requiring dental implants and prosthetics).

Planning and follow-up are crucial

Managing a multidisciplinary dental clinic is a complex challenge as it asks for a large team of specialists, each playing a crucial role in the treatment process. Effective communication at the right moment is essential for ensuring precision in every step of the treatment. This requires meticulous planning and a strong focus on follow-up care.

Holistic diagnosis: Treating the whole body

Many dental practices focus solely on treating the teeth. But the team of COLDY DENT understands that complex dental cases require a thorough diagnosis. Everything in our body is interconnected. Even the best dental surgery would not provide the best results if the blood parameters are not perfect. This is why for patients with complicated cases Dr Manol Ivchev and his team prepare a treatment plan that includes a range of tests on the temporomandibular joint, the muscles, the body posture, some individual teeth, the gums, the bones, the body's overall function, and the circulatory system. This thorough analysis provides information about how the patient's body functions.

The key specialist

Only a properly trained doctor capable of reviewing and understanding the test results, and of arranging the treatment strategy can provide the best outcome for the patient. "The idea is not just to have a treatment plan with a list of existing issues. It is all about having a plan that outlines what and when should be treated," says Dr Manol Ivchev. "For example, should we begin with joint or teeth treatment? We have had so many patients arriving from other clinics that had neglected the issue with the temporomandibular joint and had treated their teeth, resulting in blocked joints, with the patient unable to open or close their mouth. This happens when the treatment plan was not properly prioritised."

At COLDY DENT, Dr Ivchev arranges the treatment strategy and ensures its proper execution by the team. The doctors at the clinic hold weekly meetings to discuss all cases.

"For example, sometimes when we remove a crown, we find that we do not have a case of cleaning a cavity and rebuilding the tooth, but that tooth has been split in two. You cannot see this situation beforehand on X-ray, it transpires only when the crown is removed. This is why the specialist's experience is so important – to create the most accurate treatment plan from the start," says Dr Ivchev. He has over 18 years of experience and plenty of specialisations in Bulgaria, Austria, the USA, Brazil, Germany, South Korea.

A dental practice which treats patients with severe, functional, and complex conditions is hard to manage. "It requires not only medical and dental skills, but also financial, accounting, communication, leadership, and management expertise. However, medical skills are crucial, they require serious training, a significant investment in technology and substantial experience", Dr Ivchev concludes.

Sofia, 2 Balgarska Legiya St

+359 896 593 939

office@coldydent.com

coldydent.com