Important Questions to Ask Your Dentist About Dental Implants

Not all the dentists in Lenoir can do dental implants properly. If you’re considering have teeth implanted by one of the dentists in Lenoir it’s important to find the right dentist for the job. There are several very important questions you need to ask to identify the best dentist for you.

One of the most important questions you should ask is whether your implant dentist is a board certified specialist. Any dentist can legally implant teeth. For best results you should choose a periodontal specialist trained in restorative dentistry. To receive this designation a dentist must demonstrate mastery of the surgical skills and procedures necessary to safely and properly handle implanting teeth. They must also show their ability to provide the appropriate follow-up treatment.

Asking the dentist how long they have been doing implants and about how many of the procedures they have performed is also helpful. Completing the two to three year course and passing the necessary exams is good, but you need a dentist with experience doing the procedure to get the best outcome.

Another way to ensure you’re getting the best dentist for the job is to ask the dentist to show you some before and after photos of implants they’ve done. Most good dentists will be glad to show you photos of their work and explain why they used specific types of dental implants on different patients.

Find out if the dentist does a comprehensive initial examination. If the dentist focuses only on the missing tooth and not how the implant will function in your mouth or its aesthetic impact, choose another dentist. A good initial exam looks at the overall health of your gums, assesses the shape and size of the missing tooth, considers if you have adequate gum tissue and bone in the area to support the implant, and makes sure the position of the nerves and sinus can accommodate the implant.

Finally, ask if they do handle you dental implants using the latest technology and if they have taken continuing educational courses in the last year or two. Digital panoramic x-rays, Simplant software, Piezotome technology, the use of growth factors like Infuse, GEM 21, and Emdogain and other new techniques and technologies being created every day are radically changing the diagnosis and treatment. Be sure to choose one of the dentists in Lenoir trained in the use of the latest restorative dentistry practices.