Posted on 23rd December, 2023 at 2:07:37 AM
Dental implants can magically transform a smile you are uncomfortable about to a smile you can proudly flaunt to the world. It is a permanent and durable tooth replacement option that looks and feels natural, and does compromise the health of existing natural teeth, unlike dentures and bridges.
Choosing the right dentist for dental implants or implantologist is an extremely crucial decision as it can determine whether yours turns out to be a successful implant story or an implant failure tragedy. If you have decided that you want to start your dental implant journey, you have to ensure that your oral health is in safe and trustworthy hands. A dental implant is an investment, and you should invest in an experienced and skilled implant dentist.
In this blog, we will uncover the factors you should keep in mind when choosing the best dentist for dental implants.
Factors to consider when choosing your dental implant dentist
1. Formal training and experience: Successful implant placement and restoration requires a high level of experience and skill. Ideally, you must choose a doctor who has years of specialized training in placing implants, and has placed implants of a variety of dental systems.
Dental implant procedures are continually advancing, and you must wish to go ahead with an implant dentist who has undertaken several dental implant education courses and training sessions supported by professional associations. Don’t be shy to ask your dentist the following questions:
How long they’ve been placing dental implants
How many implants do they place each year?
How many previous implants have they successfully placed?
Name of the dental implant courses, course dates and from where they were obtained.
2. Ability to provide additional treatments: In order for a dental implant procedure to be successful, the patient must have sufficient bone height, width, and density in the jaw to place the implant into. During the initial consultation, the dentist will clinically examine whether the patient has enough bone for implant treatment. Insufficient or damaged jaw bone due to either periodontal disease or tooth loss can be built up using advanced bone grafting techniques. Natural or synthetic bone material can be used to prepare a firm base for the dental implant.
These treatments require advanced skills and can only be carried out by a specialist. If you require a bone graft, as with implants, you must choose a dentist for dental implants with the relevant training and experience in performing bone grafting procedures.
3. Technological infrastructure and knowledge: The latest dental technologies offer quick and accurate diagnosis and treatment plan for effective implant surgery. These technologies include.
CBCT scanner and planning software
Digital X-ray
Intra-oral scanners
Ideally, your dental implantologist must have a CBCT machine on-site at their disposal. Along with the infrastructure, the implantologist must also have knowledge on how to make the best use of the technology during the implant planning process. The CBCT scans allow the implant dentist to assess the quality and quantity of jaw bone, the presence of any periodontal disease or infection, and the overall oral health of the patient.
It is also wise to go ahead with a dentist for dental implants that use a computer-guided implant surgery approach using the images from the patient’s cone beam CT scan to digitally plan implant positioning and placement. This approach allows for a more safer and precise placement of the implant as well as surgery time reduction.
4. Patient testimonials and online reviews: Before you make up your mind to go ahead with a particular implant specialist or clinic, it is important to take a look at their patient feedback and testimonials. You can either read online reviews or the testimonials and implant success stories they have displayed on their website. This will give you an accurate and valuable insight into the implant dentists’ work. You should also ask to see before and after photos of their previous cases to get an idea of their skill and competency.
5. Dental team: Last but not the least, your ideal dentist for dental implants must have a competent, caring and highly skilled team of doctors and support staff. You will get a fair idea of the team’s attitude and commitment during the initial consultation sessions itself. It might also be so that your implant dentist might transfer you to another doctor to complete the prosthesis part of your implant journey. Therefore all the doctors must be as skilled and knowledgeable as your implant dentist.
Finding a dental surgeon with the right education, training, and experience is crucial to ensure implant success. However, finding a practitioner whom you can trust and who cares to listen to your opinions and concerns is equally important.
