It is an important decision to make, as choosing the wrong dentist could mean treatment is less than successful or won’t provide quite the results you were expecting or desired. It could also mean that the outcome won’t last as long as anticipated, or you will have problems further down the line.
Choosing the right implant dentist protects your investment, as dental implants are not the cheapest treatment and ensures you will get optimal results and the best treatment outcome. As a result, you should receive teeth that look and feel natural, strong, and stable, which look good and provide good functionality as close as possible to your real teeth.
Here are some points you should consider when selecting your dental implant dentist.
- Can you get to their dental office easily?
- What are their qualifications, and do they have additional training in placing dental implants?
- Do they offer other services you might need, like bone and gum grafting?
- Does their dental office have advanced equipment to plan and place dental implants?
- Can they use a range of different dental implant systems?
- Do they offer sedation dentistry?
Choosing a Conveniently Located Dental Office
Choosing a dental implant office close to home or work is a good idea but not essential. You will most likely need to make several visits for the preparation and placement of your dental implants and any aftercare needed. Also, when choosing your dental implant office, check to see if it has good public transport connections or if there is parking nearby. The idea is to ensure that visits are as stress-free as possible.
Choosing the Best Qualified Dental Implant Dentists
Before you schedule an appointment, look at the dental office website. Most will have a complete biography of all the dentists at the office, and it is well worth checking their qualifications and experience. Ideally, look for a dental specialist, preferably a periodontist. Unlike general dentists, a periodontist must pass their general dentist qualifications before specializing in periodontics. These specialists are the best trained and qualified to treat patients requiring dental implants.
As periodontists, they already have extensive knowledge in treating all the structures around teeth, including the gums and jawbone, and deep knowledge in planning and placing dental implants. This is important as although many general dentists offer dental implants, their skill, and experience can be limited to a short course and placing dental implants periodically, generally using only one dental implant system. When you opt for dental implants, you want to ensure your implant dentist can use the best available system for your needs, not the system they feel most comfortable using, which may not provide optimal results. Ideally, look for a dental implant office with several implant dentists, especially one with both periodontists and prosthodontists on the team. A prosthodontist is another dental specialist highly trained in dental implants and treating complex problems affecting facial structures and the jaws. They specialize in restoring missing teeth and providing aesthetic restorations, including implant crowns, bridges, and dentures. Their skills complement those of a periodontist.
Ensuring They Offer All the Services You Might Need for Dental Implant Placement
When someone wants dental implants, they frequently need other treatments to prepare the implant site and restore soft and hard tissues like gum and bone that can be destroyed due to trauma or disease. Restoring these structures is important as otherwise, there might be insufficient support for the dental implants, and the overall results may not be as aesthetically pleasing.
A periodontist is an ideal dentist to provide these more advanced services. With their deep knowledge of the structures around your teeth, they can ensure you receive the most up-to-date bone and grafting procedures, providing optimal outcomes. The gum and bone must be correctly placed and properly shaped so these tissues frame the final implant restoration nicely and provide optimal support.
Choosing a Dental Office with the Right Equipment for Planning and Placing Dental Implants
Ideally, your dental implants should be planned and placed using digital technology. Your chosen dental office should have up-to-date equipment such as a cone beam CT scanner, a digital scanner to take high-quality digital dental impressions, and preferably a dental laser. Digitally planning and placing implants is the best way to ensure the implants are situated optimally and can be restored properly.
For example, if an implant isn’t situated in quite the right place, it might end up too close to a nerve or is not in enough bone to ensure it can integrate fully. It can also be more difficult to restore an improperly placed dental implant, so the restoration design must compromise between appearance and function. Digitally planning dental implant surgery allows an implant dentist to visualize the finished product fully, so when the final restoration is in place in the mouth, so once restored will not only look good but be fully functional.
Experience in a Range of Dental Implant Systems
Some dentists have only completed a short course in dental implantology using a specific system. This might be okay if your dental implant treatment is straightforward, perhaps only restoring a single tooth. But it can be a different matter if you need more complex treatment and you want to ensure your implant dentist can choose and is trained and experienced in using a range of systems so they can select the right implant system for your needs. Periodontists are trained to use a range of dental implant systems and can easily provide more complicated implant treatments that may be beyond the scope of a general dentist. Getting the right dental implant system and procedure can make all the difference to the outcome and longevity of dental implants.
Deciding If You Need Sedation Dentistry
Many people are deterred from the idea of dental implants because of the surgery involved, especially if they need multiple dental implants. Often people who are missing teeth will already have some fears and anxieties; this is where sedation dentistry can be helpful. Sedation dentistry uses sedatives to help induce a feeling of calm and relaxation, and implant dentists can provide various levels of sedation. Choosing a dedicated dental implant practice will ensure they are experienced in providing sedation dentistry and can provide the correct level of sedation adjusted for your needs. There is no reason dental implant treatment should feel uncomfortable or painful, and a good dental implant dentist will ensure this cannot happen and that you feel relaxed and calm throughout your treatment.
Why You Shouldn’t Base Your Choice of Implant Dentist on Price Alone
Many people will search using terms like “cheap dental implants near me” but with implant surgery, you often get what you pay for and bear in mind that high-quality dental implants should last many years or for life. When you see an offer that sounds too good to be true, it probably is and might not include important diagnostic tests like a cone bean CT scan, additional procedures needed such as bone or gum grafting, or sedation dentistry. An implant dentist offering cheap dental implants might not use top-quality dental implants from reputable companies. These brand-name dental implants have been extensively researched, developed, and produced using the highest quality materials.
Choosing a dental implant dentist that uses brand-name dental implants ensures that the components are less likely to fail. If you need a component replacing, it will be easier to source than a generic brand. This is another reason you should see a good dental implant dentist locally rather than travel to another country. Language barriers can mean you will not know exactly what you are receiving, and if something goes wrong, you have very little comeback and could spend thousands of dollars trying to put things right.
A dental implant is an investment in your oral health and, when done properly, can sometimes provide life-changing outcomes, so you want to ensure it looks and feels good and has the best chance of lasting for years or life. Take your time when choosing your dental implant dentist. Do your research and make sure you opt for a dental office like Clock Tower Dental that feels warm and welcoming and where you can ask your implant dentist and the dental team all the questions that occur to you so, ultimately, you can make an informed choice about your dental treatment.