Some corporate-owned dental implant clinics recently came under fire from patients reporting the pulling of healthy teeth or botched dental implant surgeries resulting in painful complications. Often, these clinicians lack the specialized knowledge and experience that implant surgery—and yes, it is surgery—requires.

Fully Understanding Teeth and Gums

As tooth and gum experts, board-certified periodontists undertake three advanced years of specialized training beyond normal dental school. They’re taught to thoroughly understand the nuances of jawbone and gum tissue, the important structure that supports your teeth (and potential dental implants), and are considered oral plastic surgeons who can enhance health and appearance with a variety of treatments and procedures.

They utilize 3D imaging to help assess each dental implant candidate and thoroughly review the patient’s oral and physical health history. Their specialized training teaches them how implants must be carefully placed to ensure full support of the replacement tooth or teeth. That means knowing how to minimize the risk of nerve damage and sinus complications, how to strategically avoid nerves and blood vessels, and how to prevent damage to surrounding teeth. There is no cookie-cutter, one-size-fits-all solution, even in terms of the specific size and shape of the implant post they select for every single dental implant.

Many of today’s board-certified dental implant experts are often prolific researchers and authors of peer-reviewed scientific reports whose opinions are sought by other dental clinicians. They frequently share their knowledge with colleagues and future practitioners, giving their time to organizations focused on dental implant surgery, like the International Team for Implantology (ITI) and the Academy of Osseointegration.

If Complications Occur – What Will You Do?

While complications can arise, periodontists have seen too many implant complications from mishandled surgeries where well-intentioned clinicians simply lacked the depth of experience and training needed for the intricacies of dental implant surgery. Luckily, a periodontal expert can often save infected implants if complications arise due to a destructive, inflammatory condition called periimplantitis.

Saving Teeth is The Goal

If possible, saving natural teeth is always the best option. If you’ve been told you may lose a tooth due to oral health issues, a conscientious implant specialist will evaluate the situation and try hard to preserve the tooth or teeth. Saving natural teeth that otherwise may have been called “failing” can often limit the need for more costly replacement and help you maintain a normal and efficient bite.

Full Mouth Restorations

Full-arch or full-mouth dental implant surgery, like single dental implants, should only be performed by the same kind of specialists who, only after a thorough assessment, have ultimately determined that implant surgery constitutes the best solution to replace missing or failing teeth. Periodontists know the implant post will fuse with the jawbone in a very natural process called osseointegration. If the jawbone in that area isn’t strong enough to support the proposed implant and grafting hasn’t been attempted to rebuild the important stability needed, they know the implant will fail.

Avoiding “Vacation Dentistry”

Patients sometimes seek implants abroad for discounted “sun and surgery” dental implants by non-credentialed clinicians. Experts have seen their share of patients seeking help with complications from such surgeries where dental implants are now infected or loose because the clinician placed the wrong-sized implants, placed them too close together, didn’t position posts in areas where there was sufficient jawbone tissue or never even discussed grafting procedures that are very common before implant placement.

An Important Investment

With many insurance companies, unfortunately, covering only a small portion of the cost of implants or offering no coverage at all, periodontists recognize that dental implants can prove to be a major out-of-pocket expense. To help patients with this important investment, many practices offer either phased treatments over a more gradual period or offer payment plans from healthcare financing providers at no- or low-interest rates.

The Bottom Line:

Periodontists urge potential patients to think twice before falling for discounted rates or offers and placing their health—and hard-earned savings—in the hands of a practitioner who lacks the specialized training, experience, and know-how to ensure the long-term success of their dental implants. When it comes to your oral and overall health, what’s cheap may be dear in the end.

About The Author:

Philip L. Fava II, DMD, MDSc, is the director of the Pennsylvania Center for Dental Implants and Periodontics. He’s a board-certified periodontist, Fellow of the International Team for Implantology, President of the Eastern Dental Society, and Fellow and award-winning presenter with the International Society of Periodontal Plastic Surgeon. Dr. Fava and his colleagues provide gum disease diagnosis, prevention, and treatment, as well as dental implant services from two locations, in Northeast Philadelphia and Ambler, PA. For more information, contact Dr. Fava at 215-677-8686.

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