Dr. Gianluca Maria Buniato.
Biography and Training.

Some people come to the practice speaking with a hand over their mouth, then months later say goodbye with a laugh. Seeing this happen often enough changes the way you understand this work: everything else — Zurich, the microscope, the ceramics — is there to help it happen again.

A path through clinical practice and continuing education

Dr Gianluca Maria Buniato holds degrees in Dentistry from the University of Turin and Management Engineering from Politecnico di Torino. His international experience at Universidad Alfonso X El Sabio in Madrid is complemented by courses and conferences in Zurich, Vienna, Dubai, Las Vegas, Barcelona and Chicago, as well as continuing education in Milan, Bologna and Vicenza.

What connects these experiences is attention to the tooth and its surroundings: gums, bone, function and the proportions of the smile. Tooth preservation, prosthodontics and surgery are parts of the same work, to be considered together when assessing treatment.

Preserving the tooth, attending to detail

Training in adhesive restorative dentistry with Alessandro Pezzana explores the restoration of compromised teeth, from coronal margin relocation to indirect restorations. The guiding question is how much healthy tooth structure remains and how to preserve it during reconstruction.

This is complemented by training in operative microscopy at Leica/Mikros. The Leica M525 microscope provides illumination and magnification for endodontic, restorative and prosthodontic procedures. Its use depends on the needs of the procedure and the operative field.

Prosthodontics and smile aesthetics

The year-long fixed prosthodontics course with Domenico Massironi explored tooth preparation, assessment of preparation margins and the use of the microscope. These considerations run through every stage of a restoration, from the impression to the try-in, alongside assessment of function and remaining tooth structure.

The year-long Veneers course with Mauro Fradeani and Leonardo Bacherini developed smile and facial analysis using the Esthetic Checklist. In the work dedicated to feldspathic ceramic veneers, shape, colour and proportions are considered alongside the amount of enamel to preserve.

Courses with Giacomo Fabbri extend these subjects to complex rehabilitation supported by teeth and implants. Scans, CAD/CAM design and digital workflows contribute to planning alongside assessment of the tissues and the relationship between the dental arches.

Surgery and tissue care

The Implant Dentistry Program at the University of Zurich is one stage of his training in implant dentistry. Subsequent study addresses both the bone supporting the implants and the soft tissues surrounding them.

Training in mucogingival surgery with Lorenzo Tavelli, including the Tunnel and VISTA techniques, is complemented by the Modern Soft Tissue Management at Implant Sites course at Harvard School of Dental Medicine. Attended and completed as part of Continuing Education, under the direction of Shaygh Barootchi and Lorenzo Tavelli, the course explores soft tissue management at implant sites.

Continuing education with Luca De Stavola focuses on bone regeneration, autologous grafts and the Khoury technique, including further study of SafeCut digital protocols. Training with Alessandro Minniti addresses the MTG technique and the use of dermal matrices to manage tissue volume.

Conferences are also part of this path. The Envista Summit events in Vienna and Dubai and the Nobel Biocare Global Symposium in Las Vegas offer opportunities to exchange knowledge on implant dentistry and regeneration, with contributions from Paulo Malo, Istvan Urban and Sascha Jovanovic. The techniques studied remain options to assess for each individual case: anatomy, indications and healing times guide the choice.

The smile and the face

Training with Invisalign brings the study of tooth position alongside restorative work. When indicated, treatment with clear aligners can form part of the preparation for prosthodontic rehabilitation.

The two-year programme in facial aesthetic medicine at IAPEM in Milan broadens the focus to the area around the mouth and the proportions of the face. This is a separate field that sits alongside dentistry, within clinical indications and professional limits.

From training to the relationship with the patient

The Italian postgraduate Master di II livello programme in Law and Forensic Medicine at the University of Turin adds the study of clinical risk, consent and professional responsibility to this background. Documenting decisions and explaining them clearly is as much a part of the relationship with each person as the treatment itself.

The first consultation begins with listening and a clinical examination. The problem, the alternatives and reasonable expectations are discussed to build a clear treatment plan. Preserving what can be preserved, allowing for biological healing times and planning follow-up appointments guide each stage of care.