Dental implants are one of the most popular solutions for people with missing teeth, and many patients report that their quality of life and confidence improved as a result of them.
As with any form of surgery, it is important that patients planning to have dental implants fitted feel that they are in safe hands and that their time and money is not being wasted. However, this can be a daunting task because they themselves are not experts in the area.
If you are planning on getting dental implants in the future, then this guide will help you decide which dentist to go with.
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Who can do dental implants?
The first thing to know about dental implants is that they are a type of surgery, and not every dentist can do them. In fact, fewer than a quarter of dentists have undergone the training required.
What makes the situation a little bit more confusing is that placing dental implants is not considered a specialty, which means that many different types of dentists offer it. Even your general dentist might do it, so a good place to start your search is by asking them.
If your regular dentist cannot do it, you will need to find somebody else. Rather than asking every dentist in town, look for an oral surgeon or a maxillofacial surgeon. These are certain to have had the requisite training to place dental implants, and they are much more experienced in performing surgical procedures.
How to find a dental implant specialist
Finding the right specialist for your dental implant procedure is not as simple as typing “dental implants Sunshine Coast” or your local area into Google and picking the first result. However, a web search can be useful if none of the following methods work.
Recommendations and referrals
If your dentist will not do your dental implants, see if they can recommend someone who can. There might be a surgeon close by whose work they admire or whose professional reputation is very good. Alternatively, you could ask a family member or friend with dental implants who did theirs and how their experience was.
Insurance
If you have health insurance which covers dental work, see if they can recommend any dental specialists. Since they don’t want to pay out again in the future, they will usually recommend reliable candidates.
Professional associations
Not all dentists belong to professional associations, but if they do you can usually have more confidence in their work. Some associations provide information about their members to the public.
Arrange consultations
The first step before the procedure will always be a consultation where you can ask about any concerns you have. You can use this time to ask about the dentist’s experience and qualifications.
Also use this opportunity to look around the clinic. Does it look clean? Does the equipment look up to date? Even toothbrushes are becoming smart nowadays, so you would expect their surgical equipment to be pretty high-tech too.
Conclusion
The dental implant procedure is widely performed and very safe for most people. Nonetheless, the experience is much nicer when you can find a dentist that you trust to perform it. Use these tips to find the best option in your area.
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