On the 27^th December, a robotized computer-guided implant oral surgery was carried out for the first time in Spain. Robodent GmbH, a company based in Munich, developed this navigation system named Robodent, which allows placing oral implants without incisions and in real time. This is a high precision technology which has been initially developed for neurosurgery application and is now used in dental implant surgery.

The periodontist and restorative dentist plan the implant surgery virtually in the dedicated software, therefore a high precision diagnostic is achieved. This software analyzes the scanner data of the patient, and allows viewing all the structures in the jaw at great detail. But what is really wonderful and novel of this system is its navigation technology. An infrared emitter and antenna system of high precision allows the surgeon to track his/her exact position at all times during surgery, and to prepare the implant´s receptor bed non-traumatically without incisions that have to be sutured afterwards. Subsequently, the healing process, the postoperative and aesthetic results are much better.

A team of experts from Robodent GmbH travelled to Asturias to be present in this pioneer surgery in Spain that was carried out in Clínica Sicilia. The head of the team, Dr. Jean Louis Roche (Nice, France) stated that because of the big advantages of the navigation systems, they will virtually replace the current computer-guided surgery systems in the market, which use guides to place the implants. "The main benefit of the navigation system is that it guides the surgeon but does not oblige him/her to place the implant in the planned site if, on the surgery, it is determined that it is not ideal. The surgeon can re-plan the location of the implant on the go, according to the particular characteristics of the case, and continue the guided intervention with a new planning by Robodent." The intervention was carried out by Dr. Alberto Sicilia, and Mr. Luis Garralda (Director of Dental Implants & Biomedicals, future distributor of Robodent in Spain), and Drs. Blas Noguerol, Jose María Tejerina, Susana Cuesta, Soledad Díaz-Faes, Ana Vargas and Rafael Tamargo were also present.

An Asturian team received two awards in the Annual Gala of the Spanish Dentists Board, which was held the 14^th of December of 2007 in NH Eurobuilding Hotel of Madrid.

The scientific paper "Periodontal Regeneration in 2- to 3-Wall Intraosseous Defects with Three Different Membranes; a Randomized Clinical Study" by the Asturian team composed by Drs. Francisco Enrile, Pedro Buitrago, Alberto Sicilia and José María Tejerina, obtained the award given to the best article published in the Official Scientific Magazine of the Spanish Dentists Board. This is a national award announced by the Spanish Dental Health Foundation. Drs. Enrile and Buitrago carried out the research work during a training course in Asturias under the auspices of Drs. Sicilia and Tejerina, Head Teachers of the Master´s Degree in Periodontics of the University of Oviedo. This paper – in the past selected for oral presentation in the annual meeting of the International Association for Dental Research (IADR) – contributed, at the time, to lay the foundations of the efficacy of tissue regenerative treatments when tissues are destroyed by gum disease. Current treatments were developed on the basis and evolution of this study.

In this event, Prof. Alberto Sicilia received the Gold Medal of the Spanish Dentists Board, awarded for his scientific and editorial work as Director of the Board´s Scientific Magazine. The medal was presented by Prof. Manuel A. Villa Vigil, President of the Dentists Board, and also from Asturias.