Oral implantology takes a special place when it comes to contemporary restorative dentistry. Rapid technological development has “gotten into” in dental practice, and various types of dental implants are available to patients today, which differ in both the shape and the material from which they are made. Dental implants represent the best solution when it comes to partial, but also complete prosthetic care.
The implantation of dental implants is one of the most successful procedures for the incorporation of foreign materials into the human body in medicine in general, but only when certain principles are respected. These principles imply a quality implant, a subtle surgical procedure, a skilled and experienced surgeon who is able to build an implant only and to take care of all the possible complications that can occur. His routine in the installation of dental implants is in everyday practice, as well as an experienced periodontist who will know how to make prosthetic work and satisfy most of the patient’s wishes, not only when it comes to functionality, but also aesthetics.
Since dental implantology is gaining momentum, a very large number of experts at faculties and special training are educated and perfected. Dentists engaged in this job are called implantologist. Dental implantology is a discipline that deals with implant surgery in the boneless mouth of the upper and lower jaw to replace the root of the lost tooth. Dental implantology is almost 40 years old and we can say that today is a fully developed and established dental discipline. It is scientifically founded, experimentally and clinically confirmed and technologically advanced multidisciplinary profession. It is the most complex form of dental therapy that requires special education of experts and adequate technological equipment of the office and laboratory.
As we have stated, surgical intervention of dental implantation is a complex process and it is, therefore, necessary that a whole team will work on preparation, operation and recovery period afterward. Choosing the right team is not an easy task, but if it is necessary that everything goes well, this choice is a necessity for the patient to feel best and be pleased with the effect. Before you decide to mount implants, it is best to consult with your personal dentist first if he does not perform surgery and is not trained for this type of procedure. He will give you the clearest instructions and advice and recommend to his colleagues who perform this type of work successfully. Although, a large number of dentists have been trained to work with implants, so it may not be the very best choice because implantology requires a lot of time and dedication. It is best to deal with those who have devoted their entire careers to it, such as examples of oral surgeons or periodontists.
Which specialties are surgeons who put implants?
The only surgical specialists who perform surgery are oral and maxillofacial surgeons, as well as periodontists. They attend postgraduate programs and are recognized by the American Dental Association (ADA). Oral surgeons outside the dental school spend another four years in a hospital, including one year of anesthesia training. Periodontists after dental school attend three-year surgical training programs. In relation to general dentists, formal training for surgical specialists is much higher.
The amount of training and experience gained during this program is focused on the prediction of surgical complications, as well as their diagnosis and treatment. During this training, specialists meet the most challenging cases that are sent to hospitals for teaching, which they may not have the opportunity to see in private practice. Surgeons are thus trained to cope with possible complications that can occur during procedures. These trainings are extremely important for them because they carry out various surgical procedures on a daily basis.
Treatment of dental implants is extremely successful, and complications are rare if patients are in good hands. The great experience of surgical specialists provides a level of safety for patients where it is not the case with the activities performed by dentists with far less training and experience.
In addition, oral surgeons and periodontists perform their operations in a surgical salon with state-of-the-art technology as well as highly qualified assistants. As extensive training in surgical procedures has been carried out, their services provide the highest quality of treatment in the area.
A large number of general dentists have experience in implantology. They regularly co-operate with a surgical specialist and treat patients who need one or two implants. These dentists usually have limited experience in dealing with some more complex cases.
Prosthodontists are also important in the dental team. They develop a treatment plan ensuring optimal aesthetic results of the patient. The three-year program of extensive training and experience outside the dental school provides a thorough analysis of tooth replacement, including the most complex processes related to the reconstruction of the mouth. Prosthodontists often work when patients require frontal dental implants because they have more training and experience with challenging aesthetic situations. One of the most challenging cases can even be a patient missing a tooth.
Why choose a periodontist instead of a general implant dentist?
Dentists who have completed short-term training without postgraduate studies do not have the same experience as periodontists. Surgical specialists use only researched and verified dental implant systems providing a total level of more care. This procedure may be more expensive than with other implants, but the patient will certainly be satisfied and get better care. Dentists who do not have postgraduate education in this field attend very short courses and think they have become specialists in this kind of surgical process. However, in addition to insufficient time to learn everything about these procedures, lack of experience can lead to complications in numerous operations.
Dental implants have a high success rate. For a period of 30 years, the installation’s performance has reached up to 97%. We can say it is not because the procedure is simple and easy, but because this procedure is performed by experienced experts with a high level of practice and education.
