<p>My H is considering getting dental implants due to some missing molars. His regular dentist can do it but we’re wondering whether it’s better to go to someone who specializes only in implants. Is the procedure easy and safe enough that any trained dentist can perform it or is this the kind of thing where it’s better to use someone who does nothing but? It seems like a lot of implant clinics have sprung up locally over the past couple of years due to the popularity of this kind of procedure but I’m a little wary of their flashy advertising and radio spots.</p>
<p>I’d love to hear from the dentists on this board as well as anyone who has actually gotten dental implants. What do we need to know before making this decision?</p>
<p>I’ve had several implants, and they have all been successful. Most of them were done to replace bridges, but a couple were placed after an extraction. I think the latter have a better chance of working. I went to a very experienced oral surgeon for all but one, and a periodontist for the last. It is very expensive. </p>
<p>For the implants to replace long lost molars, the surgeon had to make sure the bone is still thick enough, as over time it can become narrow at the edge. I needed a bone graft for one.</p>
<p>I am not a dentist, but I would want to give myself the best chance possible for the implant to take, because I don’t know if you will get a second shot. Definitely, you want to follow the after care instructions carefully to avoid infection. Warm salt water rinses often. Good luck to your H.</p>
<p>Use an established dentist that does nothing but implants and the like. Not a cosmetic clinic of course :). To keep cost down do it over two years and max out both years (we did that with DD1).</p>
<p>I got my first dental implant (a molar) installed just last week. So far I’m very pleased with the outcome. The whole process took about 10 months. Extraction → Healing–> Implant → Healing → Crown prep → Crown fitting.</p>
<p>The extraction and implant were done by an oral surgeon and the crown by my regular dentist. For fancy work like implants I’d go to specialist.</p>
<p>There are some general dentists that are trained and qualified to place implants but the surgical placement is usually done by a periodontist (gum specialist) or an oral surgeon. After the healing process in which the implant integrates with the bone (3-6 months) the abutment and crown or implant supported bridge is placed by a general dentist or prosthodontist. Don’t be afraid to ask the dentist or specialist how many implants that they have placed or restored.</p>
<p>Does that include the surgical placement or just the abutment/crown after the implant was placed? There are so many variables without knowing the type of implant, and the type of crown ( porcelain fused to semi precious metal, all-ceramic or zirconium or pressed porcelain) as well as the locale (urban, rural, suburban) it is impossible to tell…</p>
<p>I am in the process of getting an implant (doing the bone graft part now, after the extraction of a fractured tooth). My general dentist swiftly referred me to an endodontist for care. If I were your husband, I would ask my general dentist for a referral. The general dentist can do the abutment and the crown part. In my case, my general dentist will do the crown and leave the rest to the endodontist.</p>
<p>I have had two implants (cracked molars). Go to a dentist who specializes in in this procedure. I went to a periodontist who does many implants. I can’t remember exactly but I think the implant itself was around $2K and then I went to my regular dentist for a crown that was $1K. If you need a bone graft (luckily I didn’t) it could be more. Plus, as someone mentioned above–prices probably vary depending on the type of implant/crown and your locale.</p>
<p>Yes, I figured prices would vary according to location but just wondered if that price was on the spectrum. Sounds like it is. It does include the surgical placement and it’s a porcelain fused to metal crown.</p>
<p>Thanks for all of this advice. I was able to get a great periodontist referral from my own dentist this morning (H goes to a different dentist from me) and I think that’s the way to go.</p>
<p>I had an implant done a few years ago. I highly recommend your husband at least visit an oral surgeon for an estimate and evaluation. I got estimates from a periodontist (recommended and in the same practice as my dentist) and a renowned oral surgeon at a nearby teaching hospital. The periodontist suggested I would need a “sinus lift” (extra charge) and made the whole procedure sound complicated. The oral surgeon made a few measurements on the xray and promised a trouble free simple procedure. His estimate was also $1000 less than the periodontist because he didn’t see the need for the sinus lift. I went with the oral surgeon and the whole procedure was less traumatic than a root canal. The total cost was close to $2000 including the crown. Some insurance companies are now covering half the cost of implants, so it’s worth checking.</p>