Essential questions to ask your dentist on dental implants
Taking the decision to have dental implants treatment is something most people will wish to consider quite carefully. Although this treatment can be an excellent long-term solution, it isn’t right for everybody and it is important to have a good understanding of exactly what is required. We have outlined a few essential questions and points you should be aware of before making your final decision.
WHAT ARE YOUR QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE IN PLACING DENTAL IMPLANTS?
This is the most important question to ask and should be top of your list. Some clinicians have minimal training in placing dental implants and may only carry out this type of surgery a few times a year.
Our specialist care is based on dental specialties that are officially recognised by the General Dental Council UK. All accredited dental specialists are listed on the General Dental Council website www.gdc-uk.org. The specialist lists exist to:
• ensure high standards of training and assessment qualifying dentists to use a specialist title;
• indicate those dentists who possess recognised specialist knowledge, skills and attitudes;
• protect patients against unwarranted claims to be a specialist;
• facilitate appropriate referrals of patients;
• promote high standards of care by dentists qualified to use a specialist title; and
• encourage postgraduate education.
This list helps patients make an informed decision when they are looking for appropriately trained dentists to manage their dental care.
WHICH IMPLANT SYSTEMS DO YOU USE?
There are a few major dental implant companies that produce high-quality dental implants backed by years of research. These companies are well-known and well respected within the dental industry. There are numerous other companies that produce generic dental implants.
While these may still be of an acceptable quality, they lack the provenance of more widely known dental implant systems. There is another benefit of choosing dental implants made by one of the major companies as these implants are used worldwide. When you need an implant repaired or a component replaced or maintained, it is much easier to find a dentist willing to do this for you, no matter where you are in the world.
DO YOU PROVIDE COMPUTER GUIDED DENTAL IMPLANTS?
Computer guided dental implants surgery involves precisely planning using advanced diagnostics that include a cone beam CT scan and planning software. Once everything is planned, this computerised information is used to create a surgical guide or stent which allows precise placement of each implant.
We prefer to execute guided surgery where possible as it ensures your implant surgery is smoother, quicker and ultimately more comfortable and successful. Not all dentists will use this technique, but it is especially important when placing multiple implants where precision placement is even more vital.
Research shows that appropriately and precisely placed dental implants are less likely to have any problems and complications.
WILL IMPLANT SURGERY HURT?
You should not feel any pain during surgery based on effective local anaesthesia. We know many patients feel anxious at the thought of any oral surgery and if this applies to you then we can discuss additional sedation.
Our dental team is also very experienced at helping nervous patients feel at ease. Most of our patients will report no or very minimal discomfort that is very well managed with simple painkillers following implant surgery.
WILL I NEED A LONG TIME TO RECOVER AFTER IMPLANT SURGERY?
If you need just a single dental implant, you should be back to work the very next day. If you have multiple dental implants you might need a bit longer to recover; your dental implant dentist can give you more advice based on your situation.
Although you may feel some minor discomfort once the anaesthesia wears off, it is not uncommon to feel perfectly fine, especially after single dental implant placements. Again, this is something that can be discussed during your first consultation as it will depend on your treatment.
HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE TO COMPLETE IMPLANT TREATMENT?
Dental implant treatment can take up to several months to complete, as the surgery must be planned and once in place the implants need time to heal. It generally takes about 8-12 weeks for the dental implants to fully heal and to integrate with your jawbone, and the crown or bridge can be placed shortly after. Treatment may take slightly longer if you need bone grafts or tissue regeneration.
WILL I BE LEFT WITHOUT TEETH DURING IMPLANT HEALING?
This is a major concern for many people but there is no need to worry as temporary teeth can be provided while your implants heal. These temporary restorations can be fabricated before your implant surgery and may be placed immediately after surgery is completed.
WILL MY NEW IMPLANT TEETH LOOK NATURAL?
It is essential that your dental implants are placed in precisely the right position for the best functional and aesthetic effects. Here, at The Specialist dental Practice, our team are specialists in restoring and replacing missing teeth with crowns, bridges and dentures to the highest standards ensuring your new teeth are designed to look and feel wonderful. We also offer aftercare and advice on how to keep your implants clean.
HOW CAN I STOP MY DENTAL IMPLANTS FROM FAILING?
While some implants will fail naturally, a large part of implant success comes down to two factors:
• How well the implant is placed and the correct positioning in the jaw
• How well the implant is cared for after placement
Choosing a qualified and skilled implant dentist who is able to plan the correct positioning for your dental implants is key. Whilst you may think a general dentist is slightly cheaper, you may end up paying more in the future with implants that have not been placed correctly with significant potential complications.
The biggest misconception from dental implant patients is that once your dental implants are placed they will be there for life and are indestructible. The fact is, you will need to take care of your dental implants and make sure you regularly attend check-ups and clean your implants properly. Without this, your implants will have a larger chance of failing, both in a biologic and hardware sense.
SHOULD I GO ABROAD TO HAVE DENTAL IMPLANTS?
Dental tourism’ is a concept that has become increasingly popular over the last decade. Patients seek out dental treatment such as dental implants abroad and travel for the sole purpose of receiving cosmetic and restorative dentistry. The main attraction for patients is the cost of treatment in some other countries – it can look like prices are significantly cheaper, depending on the individual treatments. However, as with many things in life, what looks too good to be true often is. There are all kinds of hidden costs with choosing to get dental implants abroad including the prohibitive costs to fix a failing dental implant placed abroad, variation in the standard of care, and lack of long- term aftercare and maintenance plan.
Should you wish to seek more information on dental implant therapy, please contact the practice on 01932857585 or get in touch online info@weybridgedentist.co.uk to arrange for a consultation. In that way, we can assess for your individual needs and provide you with a customised treatment plan .
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