Anyone in Framingham looking for a dentist to replace missing teeth with dental implants is faced with many options for doing so. You can either have a periodontist place the implant and a general dentist place the restoration, or find a general dentist that does both, or find a prosthodontist that will do both. What are the benefits and drawbacks of each choice for replacing teeth with implants?
The benefits and drawback of getting dental implants with a prosthodontist
Benefits
- Expertise in implant placement – Prosthodontists specialize in restoring oral function, which includes replacing teeth with dental implants and crowns. A prosthdontist like the one at Natick Dental Health would have gotten additional years of training, including in the placement and restoration of dental implants. In fact, the prosthodontist at Natick Dental Health has even written a thesis related to implant surgery. This makes a prosthodontist well-equipped to handle even complex cases that a general dentist may refer out.
- Convenience – Imagine if you had a dentist in Framingham that did the dental crown but the periodontist that your dentist referred you for the dental implant was in Wayland. These two dentists would have to coordinate your treatment and you would have to drive to the dental specialist in Wayland for the implant surgery. If the same dentist placed and restored your dental implant, it would reduce miscommunication and you would just need to be in one dental office for both procedures.
Drawbacks
- Referring out for gum surgery – If extensive tissue grafting is required before the dental implant can be placed, the prosthodontist will need to refer the patient to a periodontist for that part, which means coordinating treatment between two locations.
The benefits and drawback of getting dental implants with a general dentist
Benefits
- Convenience – If the general dentist is the one placing the implant and crown you have the convenience of not having to go to a different dental office for the implant.
Drawbacks
- Referring out for gum surgery – If extensive tissue grafting is required before the dental implant can be placed, the prosthodontist will need to refer the patient to a periodontist for that part, which means coordinating treatment between two locations.
- Referring out for complex implant placement – If the implant is being placed in a tricky spot the dentist doesn’t feel confident about, they will often refer the patient to a dental implant specialist for the placement. This dental implant specialist may not be nearby.
- Lower dental implant success rates – A study has found that dental implants placed by general dentists have a lower survival rate than those placed by a specialist. While this speaks in general terms and each individual dentist has their own skill level, this information certainly does not promote confidence.
The benefits and drawback of getting dental implants with a periodontist
Benefits
- Expertise in implant placement – Periodontists specialize in the gums and the tissue that supports the teeth. They undergo additional years of training in order to have a complete knowledge of the biology of the gums and underlying bone and the surgical procedures associated with that. This makes them able to place dental implants and provide services such as gum grafting and bone grafting as needed.
Drawbacks
- Getting the dental crown elsewhere – While a periodontist does a great job of placing a dental implant and even doing regenerative work to provide tissue support for the implant, they don’t have the expertise to do the best job of placing a crown on the implant. The patient will have to go back to a general dentist for the crown placement.
If you live near Framingham and this guide convinced you to get a dental implant and crown with a prosthodontist, we urge you to book a consultation at Natick Dental Health. The prosthodontist is located a few minutes drive from Framingham and has even written his thesis about dental implant surgery. We hope to see you soon!