Prevention and hygiene, back to the basics
Dentistry is the branch of health sciences responsible for the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of diseases related to the stomatognathic system. In this context, Hospitales San Roque Las Palmas has a highly-renowned specialist in this field, Dr Luis Poggio. He specialises in implantology, periodontology and aesthetics, and currently leads a dentistry department which performs all kinds of clinical and aesthetic treatments.
San Roque Las Palmas is equipped with the latest technology, “enabling us to carry out bone regeneration where nothing could be done before. Thanks to both image diagnosis and the new biomaterials we have at our disposal, we are able to treat issues such as insufficient bone mass for implant placement” explains Dr Poggio.
In our day-to-day work in this department, Dr Poggio believes that “periodontal diseases, that is, diseases affecting the gums, are particularly prevalent in our society, as they affect up to 50% of the population. Cavities are always present, but gum-related diseases are the main cause for tooth loss in the world," he clarifies. Hygiene habits influence this type of diseases, although "there is also a significant genetic load".
"But care and prevention are basic", he admits. According to Dr Poggio, there is currently a new pathology called periimplantitis, that is “gum inflammation related to dental implants. It can be treated and here at San Roque we recommend patients to visit their dentist once a year”, he explains.
TRAINED IN THE UNITED STATES
Doctor Luis Poggio has been working at Hospitales San Roque in Las Palmas for six years. In 2009, he was appointed head of the dentistry service. Born in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, he studied the degree of Dentistry in Madrid and then traveled to New York to complete a master’s degree in Implantology and Periodontology.
He, then, was invited by the university to extend his stay for another year and he took that opportunity to study a master’s degree in Aesthetic Dentistry. After going back to Gran Canaria, he started working at Hospitales San Roque.
INTEGRATED SERVICES
The dentistry department at Hospitales San Roque Las Palmas has also hired another professional, Dr Jorge Conde, a specialist in the field of orthodontics, that is, placing braces and Invisilign: “he is a great support for us and he performs invaluable work”, points out Dr. Luis Poggio.
“We specialise in implantology and periodontology, using materials that are free from non-noble metals such as zirconium or pressed ceramics. They are biocompatible and will last longer in the mouth than those that have been used up until now”, he explains. He also emphasises the fact that their medical centre is “equipped with all the technical equipment necessary to carry out the best imaging diagnosis and offers something unique: an integrated consultation service for our patients”, he says. In this regard, he also adds that when patients suffer other underlying pathologies “we have the possibility of carrying out medical interconsultations with our colleagues, who are specialists on the specific action protocols for those treatments”.
“We also have fully-equipped operating rooms in case we need to sedate our patients, who will be monitored at all times, in addition to having our team of anesthesiologists there to guarantee patients the maximum level of safety”, he says.
“The field of Cosmetics is currently in high demand and here at San Roque we carry out all kind of treatments using the best materials. All dentures are made from an aesthetic point view, which is why we put special attention to them” said the specialist.