Today’s dental patient has more options for restoring health and beauty than ever before. In the prosthodontic office, all-ceramic crowns and ultra-thin veneers provide natural-looking restorations; and dental implants are the most cutting edge dental solution. Learn how to be an educated consumer while shopping for dental implants.
Customized Smile
A computer-generated prostheses built upon an implant system that is scientifically and statistically successful is the most customized smile available, and in addition to excellent esthetics, has extraordinary longevity.
Research
The Internet has become the primary resource for the dental consumer to research dental care. Like any form of information gathering, one must peruse beyond the creative genius of the web designer to find the real qualifications of the doctor. These are not always apparent in photos of a slick environment or in the stage presence of a strong and authoritative personality.
While dental implants are not new, many practices have been slow to invest in the education, equipment and materials necessary to comprehensively provide this care. As a result, some doctors who advertise implant care are very new to these protocols. Seek experience. Ask for implant practice statistics. How many implants has the doctor placed? What is his published success rate?
Demand implant products that have been thoroughly scientifically researched and proven successful for the long term. New implant companies have popped up around the globe, mimicking the classics at lower price points. Do not forget the maxim, “You get what we pay for.” Fringe applications do not usually come with guarantees and once they have failed, they may be both physically and financially difficult to correct.
Dental Laboratory
Don’t overlook the importance of the laboratory. The dentist will place the implants, engineer the design of your teeth, and eventually connect the teeth to the implants, but the actual fabrication of your smile will be in the hands of technicians whose level of skill is directly proportional to the strength, the shapeliness and the sparkling aesthetics of the final result. Ask whether the lab is “in house.” Patients have the greatest input about the appearance of their smiles when the master technician can actually see the patient’s face.
Minimal Visits
Ask for a treatment time line. Your time is precious. You don’t want to spend too much of it in a dental chair. Current technology provides for high quality care with minimal visits.
Look for patient testimonials. Word of mouth is the best reference. A reliable implant practice will have a roster of patients who will be pleased to share their experiences and who will offer many perspectives on how positively life-changing a smile can be.
Ask Questions
Finally, test the team. Talk at length to the person who answers the phone. In a good practice the entire staff is integrated for the purpose of serving their patients’ needs. This person should be able and willing to provide a wealth of information about the practice. Look for a kind listener who also provides clear, complete, direct answers to your questions.
Dental implant treatment is a significant investment because the materials are costly and the expertise of many professionals is required to achieve superlative results. Shop carefully and invest wisely. A perfect smile yields lifelong rewards. Call 215-646-6334 for information about dental implant treatment at Pi Dental Center.
