The Implant Playbook: Fail Less. Last Longer.

About this Seminar

Despite advances in implant technology and surgical techniques, implant failure remains a significant clinical challenge. This lecture explores the biological, patient-related, and procedural factors that determine long-term implant success or failure.

We will examine the interplay between surgical technique, patient optimization, treatment planning, and systemic health, with a particular emphasis on vitamin D deficiency—a frequently overlooked yet critical contributor to early implant failure.

The session will provide a comprehensive, evidence-informed overview of:

• Implant success and failure predictors


• The role of soft tissue quality, native bone, and emergence profile


• Preoperative patient evaluation, including systemic health, comorbidities, and vitamin D optimization


• Best practices for sterility, incision design, implant positioning, and timing of placement


• Postoperative considerations and strategies to support long-term osseointegration

By integrating current literature with clinical experience, attendees will leave with practical strategies to improve patient outcomes, reduce risk, and make more informed decisions across every phase of the implant process.

Learning Objectives:

1. Identify key clinical and biological risk factors associated with implant failure


2. Understand the impact of vitamin D status on bone healing and implant integration


3. Apply a systematic approach to patient selection and treatment planning


4. Optimize implant placement and restoration for long-term stability

Presenters

About Dr. Robert Wagner

DMD MD FRCD(C) Dip ABOMS

Dr. Robert Wagner is a board-certified Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon with a reputation for quiet excellence and deep commitment to his patients. Born in Saskatchewan, he earned his DMD from the University of Saskatchewan in 1996 before completing a dual-degree MD and OMFS residency in Detroit. He later held faculty and surgical positions in Florida and California, performing over 4,000 orthognathic cases and mentoring residents in high-volume surgical settings. Since returning home in 2009, Dr. Wagner has built one of Saskatchewan’s most comprehensive oral surgery practices. He provides full-scope surgical care—from complex TMJ and jaw procedures to dentoalveolar surgery and implant rehabilitation—with humility, precision, and a relentless drive to improve.

A past President of the Canadian Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons, he continues to learn, teach, and lead in his field. Outside the OR, he enjoys time with his wife and children and remains deeply connected to the Regina community.