Traditionally, implant treatment has been provided by a team that included a surgical specialist and an experienced restorative dentist. Recently, the choice of where to go for implant treatment has become somewhat confusing for some people.

Implant centers are opening through the country, advertising that they are the experts in dental implant treatment and a more convenient option for patients. There are also numerous general dentists and prosthodontists who promote that they provide both the surgical and restorative aspects of dental implant treatment.

To determine the best option for your dental implant treatment, it helps to understand the relative advantages and disadvantages of each option.

The Surgical and Restorative Team

An oral surgeon, or periodontist, is a surgical specialist that has had years of training and experience in the management of potential complications. This should be an important consideration for any patient contemplating a surgical procedure.  

An experienced restorative dentist, working together with an experienced surgical specialist, can offer many advantages to their patients. One important advantage is that the patients have the benefit of both areas of expertise collaborating to develop the ideal treatment plan and provide optimal results. And if the doctors have worked together for several years, their experience as a team is invaluable.

In this team setting, the general dentist provides comprehensive treatment planning to ensure that the recommended implant treatment fits into the overall treatment plan for each patient. This is important for long-term dental health. The general dentist is also in a position to determine the ideal team of specialists that is best qualified to provide a customized treatment plan that meets the esthetic and functional needs of each individual patient. Another consideration is continuing care to ensure optimal oral health long-term.    

The Implant "Super Center"

This relatively new concept is based on the premise that if the surgical specialist, the restorative dentist and the dental laboratory technician are under the same roof, implant treatment is more "convenient" for patients. While it might be more convenient to have treatment completed in one location, the most important consideration should be whether or not the implant center has doctors with the experience and skill to provide the best possible esthetic and functional results for each individual patient. When considering a procedure that involves surgery and impacts overall health, appearance and well-being, expertise should outweigh convenience. Many implant centers offer both convenience and expertise, but it is important to evaluate this prior to proceeding with treatment.

When considering an implant center that advertises, it is important to keep in mind that the advertising is intended to sell their method of implant treatment, not "educate" patients about their treatment options. Another important consideration is whether the doctors at the implant center are evaluating your overall dental needs, as your general dentist would, rather than focusing strictly on implant treatment. For example, if you need periodontal treatment, and the implant center does not have a periodontist, will they refer you to a local periodontist for treatment prior to placing implants? It is also essential to determine whether the implant center will be able provide ongoing evaluation and maintenance, or whether they simply provide implant treatment and expect the patients to seek continuing care elsewhere.

The Implantologist

The dentists who provide both the surgical and restorative implant procedures are generally referred to as implantologists. Many of these dentists have had extensive training in various implant treatment modalities and have been successfully providing implant treatment for years. The benefit that they communicate to patients is that they have control of the entire case and therefore can obtain a better result.  

Although there are many skilled implantologists, one individual dentist will never achieve the level of expertise in all specialties necessary to provide ideal comprehensive treatment. Unfortunately, there are numerous general dentists who surgically place implants having taken an abbreviated basic surgical training course (1-3 days). These dentists, who are providing surgical procedures to patients without having adequate training on surgical procedures and the management of potential complications, should be avoided.