Important Factors to Consider When Deciding to Have Dental Implants Placed

The field of restorative dentistry has expanded greatly over the past 15 years with the advancements in implant dentistry.  Patients whose only choice was to live with removable dentures can now regain their smile and enjoy the ability to eat again.  Even with all these advancements, procedures involving dental implants are serious matters and patients should be fully educated before agreeing to dental implants. Dr. Schwartz, our dentist encourages his patients to take control of their dental health by finding out as much as they can about dental implants.  So that they feel comfortable proceeding with dental implants. Work with a Dentist Who Has Experience. Experience counts. Find out how many dental implants your dentist places each year and how long he or she has been performing the procedure. Any evidence that a dentist can present regarding their own personal success rate in the procedure is also reassuring. The evidence can include before and after shots of previous patients or actual statistical documentation. An implant dentist should have a success rate of at least 85% to 90% on the low end of the spectrum.  As the patient, you must understand that implant failures do occur.  It is important to discuss with the dentistwhat his or her polcy is if a failure should occur.  For Example, is a second implant placement attempt made at no charge, or is the fee applied towards dentures. Know the Approach Your Dentist Takes The success of restorative aspect of implant dentistry also depends upon the comprehensive approach to the procedure. Inquire as to whether or not the treatment includes a comprehensive look at the area to be treated prior to placing the implants. The exact location placement of the implant needs to be designed so that it fits in with the rest of your teeth aesthetically and it must also be specifically placed within the hard and soft tissues (bone and gums) in a way that allows it to remain both healthy and functional over an extended period of time. If you have any questions about dental implants or any other restorative dentistry procedure, please feel free to call our office in Ballantyne to get real answers from Dr. James Schwartz.