I have had the same dental bridge since I was a teenager. Now I am in my 40s. One of the supporting teeth for the bridge needs to come out and I would like to replace both teeth with dental implants. However, I was wondering if I would need bone grafting first because I have had the dental bridge for so long. It looks to me like there is less bone in that area. Is there a way for a dentist to know ahead of time or will they have to go in there first? I’m hoping to do this in the most orderly way possible.
Trenton
Dear Trenton,
First, you will need to be in good general health. This is because the procedure requires surgery and you don’t want any unnecessary complications. Other than that, what you will need is for your dentist to do good diagnostics. This will include x-rays and a CT scan. Make certain that whichever dentist you go to for this, has post-doctoral training in dental implants. This is an advanced procedure that is not adequately taught in dental school.
Like cosmetic dentistry, dental implants are not a recognized specialty so that means the patient has to ask the right questions. Some great post-doctoral institutions for this type of restorative dentistry are:
- The Dawson Academy
- The Las Vegas Institute of Advanced Dental Studies
- The Pankey Institute
There are a few others, but these are some great ones to look for. If a dentist has pursued training with those institutions they will almost always list them in their bio on their website. If you don’t see anything like that, don’t hesitate to ask the dentist where they did their dental implant training.
Often, the dentist will have to send you to an oral surgeon to place the implant. However, it is extremely important that you make certain the dentist determines the placement of your implants, not the surgeon.
This blog is brought to you by Hoffman Estates Dentist Dr. William Becker.
Click here to learn about whether to get a Dental Implant or a Dental Bridge.