According to the American Academy of Implant Dentistry, each year about 500,000 Americans get dental implants. Although no one can guarantee the success of your dental implants, there are some precautions that can be taken to help avoid implant failure. We’ll review four of them. Consider them vital. If an implant fails, it needs to be removed. There will be a healing period before the implant can be replaced. Also, poorly placed implants can damage nerves, sinus and more.
Dental Implant Failure Precautions
CT Scans
There are dentists who perform CT scans on a limited basis, and for some implant cases not at all. But performing them for every implant candidate can help prevent failure. Why? CT scans reveal more and ensure accurate implant placement. Cysts, polyps, nerves, sinuses, bone density, and other structures can be clearly seen with 3-D scans. An incorrectly placed dental implant can result in pain, suffering, and implant failure for the patient.
Dental Implant Fixtures
Top implant dentists use high-quality fixtures. Implant fixtures that have strict quality-control guidelines give you confidence that implants won’t fail because they are cheap or poorly made. Some dentists try to save money by using less expensive implants, but the sacrifice in quality is costly to the patient. Some of the top manufacturers are 3i, Astrotech, BioHorizons, Nobel Biocare, Straumann, and Zimmer.
The Implant Dentist
Implantology is not an officially recognized specialty, so any dentist can take courses and start placing implants. Look for advanced training and credentials. Accreditation, diplomate, or fellowship status reflect extensive training along with scrutiny of the dentist’s implant cases. There are quality implant dentists who do not have these credentials, but when you find one who does, it will help ensure that you get the results you want—quality implants that will last a lifetime.
This post is sponsored by Naperville board-certified prosthodontist and implant dentist Dr. Anthony LaVacca.
