By Linda Hankemeier
A true craftsman knows the importance of having the best tools available when doing important work.
Dr. Emil Verban recently secured a U.S. patent for a drill stop he designed to help dentists place dental implants with greater accuracy. The stainless steel drill stop fits like a small sleeve over the dental drill bit used to place posts for implants, giving dentists a guide for the depth of placement and greater overall confidence in their work.
Dental implants have become a common solution for helping patients resume a normal life after losing teeth to decay or accidents. To insert an implant, a dentist uses a drill to surgically place a small titanium post into the bone socket of the missing tooth. Then, the artificial tooth or teeth is placed on the implanted post.
Dental implants provide patients with a sturdy solution for eating food comfortably, avoiding further jawbone loss, and maintaining normal speech and appearance of the mouth. Prior to implants, patients missing teeth typically saw bridgework or false teeth as their only options. Dr. Verban shared that dental implants are now viewed as a more dependable solution. Over a 10-year period, patients reported having less trouble with dental implants than bridgework, leading to greater patient satisfaction.
But, placing a post for a dental implant can be tricky. When implanting the post, the dentist must work in three dimensions — placing the post in the precise location needed between the missing teeth, across the jaw line, and at the appropriate depth within the jaw — all while operating a dental drill. And, as Dr. Verban shared, “you can’t look in three directions at once.”
The drill stop eliminates the need for the dentist to see in the vertical direction, or the depth of the post placement. Much like the head of a screw gives a carpenter a guide for when to stop his screwdriver, the drill stop gives the dentist a guide to indicate the correct post depth has been reached, benefiting the patient through greater comfort and accuracy in implant placement. Going too deep could obviously cause damage or extensive pain to the patient.
“Many dentists see this as a safety device,” shared Dr. Verban, who said the drill stop has been well received by dentists. Other dental equipment companies have drill stops available; however, Dr. Verban’s drill stop is able to be used with equipment manufactured by several companies rather than being specific to just one.
After developing the idea for his drill stop early in his practice, Dr. Verban “tinkered” for years with various dimensions and materials, having tried such things as plastic tubing along the way.
In 2003, Dr. Verban began formally working to develop a drill stop that would meet his needs. He reached out to his orthotics representative, who gave him the name of a machinist who helped him develop a prototype. With his model finalized, he applied for a patent in 2005 and began marketing and selling the drill stop to other dentists in 2008. Dr. Verban says he is pleased to be able to share with other dentists something that has improved the overall quality of his practice.
For more information about Dr. Verban’s drill stop, or to learn more about dental implants, visit www.mcleancountydental.com or contact his office at 309-662-8448. His practice is located at 2103 E. Washington Street, Bloomington.
Photo courtesy of McLean County Dental