Giovanni Marras, a talented dentist who works at Tracey Bell on the Isle of Man, and is passionate about the importance of Periodontology within dentistry, has been accepted onto a prestigious Masters of Science course in Rome.
Giovanni will be working at La Sapienza University in Rome, the biggest Italian university and one of the best in Europe. He chose to study at this leading university as Italy is the best in the world when it comes to Periodontology, a specialism which the dentist feels is vital to maintaining healthy teeth.
Periodontology or Periodontics is the specialty of dentistry that studies supporting structures of teeth, as well as diseases and conditions that affect them.
The dentist explained: “People think that if they lose a tooth, they can simply replace it with an implant, but we now know that implants do not last a lifetime, it’s a bit like getting an artificial hip or knee – in an ideal world, you’re always better off with your own teeth. Implants are commonly seen as the holy grail of the perfect smile, but if I gave the patient a choice between their own heart and an artificial one, they’d never trade their heart for an artificial one. So why are people of the opinion that they can lose a tooth and buy another? I think this is because patients don’t realise that just like hip or knee replacements, implants can fail and they don’t come with a lifetime guarantee.
“Therefore, a good dentist who can help to identify pathogens and protect gums and bones, can carry out vital work in keeping your own teeth and gums healthy and stop dental problems from accelerating.”
He added: “Periodontology is also the field in dentistry that is getting closer to medicine every day, as periodontitis has been related to many pathologies, like stroke, myocardial infarction, atherosclerosis and many others. When it comes to dentistry, prevention really is better than cure!”
Giovanni’s MSc will involve a lot of research work and the prospect of being published in scientific journals. He will deepen his knowledge in the field of Periodontology, working alongside the most renowned dental professionals in the world.
He concluded: “I will never stop investing in my knowledge. I am also going to Malta for a course on Peri-implantitis, from the diagnosis to all types of treatments organised by the EFP (the European Federation in Periodontology) the most important organisation in the world in this field together with the AAP (American Academy of Periodontology). It will be a busy and expensive year, but it will be worth it in the end!”
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