Missing a tooth or several teeth is just one of the problems that adults face as they get older. It’s not really a trivial problem, missing teeth can drastically affect your confidence and may even cause other teeth to shift positions. Nowadays more and more people are opting for dental implants instead of bridges and dentures, and they’re consulting experienced periodontists instead of general dentists.
Dental implants have become much more popular as of late, even though they’re more expensive. They’re easier to get accustomed to, more comfortable, simpler to eat with, better for your oral health, and more durable. They’re such an attractive option that more and more general dentists are offering them too so they can satisfy the demand.
However, it might be best to stick with the specialists who have more years of experience for these types of procedures. In Quebec, the leading periodontists are a pair of dentists who established Les Parodontistes – they have more than 25 years of experience combined.
Here are some very good reasons why specialists are the better option for dental implants.
- They have more training. Even new periodontists are better options because they receive an extra 3 years of dentistry education. Those 3 years focus on the gums as well as the use of dental implants, and it lays a much better foundation for their specialty later on.
- They have a much better success rate. This is perhaps the most fundamental and most unarguable reason why periodontists are your best bet. Dental implant failure is always a possibility as there are no guarantees for this procedure. However, the risk of failure is reduced by 50% with an experienced periodontist.
- They have vastly more experience in dental implants. For many periodontists, putting in dental implants constitute the bulk of their work. It’s what they do day in and day out. Many experienced periodontists perform dental implants 300 times a year on average, which is almost one operation a day.
On the other hand, you can imagine that general doctors perform this operation once in a blue moon. After all, most of the time they just do checkups, fillings, crowns, and tooth extractions.
- They’ve perfected the procedure. In athletics and in other activities involving skill, you get better with practice. Periodontists can almost do the procedure automatically since they’re extremely familiar with every step.
On the other hand, general dentists tend to make a lot more mistakes that could lead to dental implant failure. They’re more likely to place the posts too close to the nerves, too close to the other teeth, or at incorrect angles. These are rookie mistakes that veterans know how to avoid all too well.
- They offer the best pre and post-op care. These veterans know if you’re a good candidate for dental implants, and they can discuss other tooth replacement methods with you. If you are a viable candidate, these periodontists have the experience and expertise to provide you with the best follow-up care.
Dental implants involve a serious investment of your money, time, and effort. You should make sure you perform all the necessary research to avoid any painful or agonizing complications. Through this research, make certain you find an experienced and professional periodontist instead of a general dentist.