Selecting Your Dental Implant Dentist
Getting dental implants is a life-changing decision that can improve your oral and overall health, improve your smile, and restore your dental function, quality of life, and self-confidence. Finding the right dental implant dentist is another important decision to ensure you get it done right. Here are a few tips on avoiding the most common mistakes people make when selecting their dental implant dentist:
Choose a Dentist with the Right Certification
Despite what you may think, not all dentists are the same. While many dentists may claim to be dental implant specialists, not all have received the years of training and experience needed to truly handle all dental implant situations successfully. A general, family or self-proclaimed “implantologist” is not the same as a board-certified prosthodonist who has the extra two years of post-graduate training in restorative dentistry procedures, including dental implants. Make sure you choose the right dental specialist by first checking to see if you dentist is a prosthodonist who is certified by the American Dental Association. During your initial consultation, find out how much training and experience they have in placing dental implants specifically to find out more about your dentist’s expertise and feel confident that you are in the right hands.
Understand Your Options
Even among dental implant treatments, there is no one-size-fits-all solution. There are many different types of dental implants, from All-on-4 dental implants to mini implants to traditional ones, and each is used in different situations. Your dentist should be able to choose from a number of different dental implant systems to select the one that serves your distinct dental situation best.
Make Sure Your Dentist is Up to Date on the Latest Advancements
Like any other profession, dentists should stay up-to-date on the latest tools and technologies available in implant dentistry to ensure their patients receive the best care available. Like many industries, dental implant methodologies are ever-changing, and it is vital for your dentists to stay on the cutting edge of these technologies to streamline your treatment, saving you time, money, pain and anxiety in your dental implant procedure. Ask your dentist what he or she does to stay on top of the latest thoroughly vetted procedures available and what the advantages are to you.
The best dental implant specialists are board-certified prosthodonists with the years of training and experience needed to handle your specific dental situation effortlessly. Your dentist should also be able to explain the tools and technologies that will be used during your procedure and why he selected them for your situation.
Selecting the right dentist for such an important procedure doesn’t have to be a complex process. During your initial consultation with us, we will help answer all of the questions you may have about the process, costs, and benefits associated with the procedure, as well as address any fears you may have about the treatment so you can move forward with your dental implant procedure with confidence.
