Dental implants are a quite an investment in your oral health and appearance. Not only do they represent a significant investment in terms of time and money, they also have a much longer lifespan than any other dental restoration option available today – which means you’ll likely be living with the results of your implant placement surgery for decades. Of course, if you’re pleased with those results, that longevity is a wonderful thing. Here’s the qualifications you’ll need to look for in an surgeon to help ensure that the time and money you invest in the process will be well-spent, producing the comfortable and attractive results you have in mind.

Dental Implants: Choose A Board Certified Oral And Maxillofacial Surgeon

As you begin to look into dental implants, you’ll find that a number of dental professionals offer dental implant placement. While some may be quite good, none can claim the same level of surgical training and experience that you’ll find an oral and maxillofacial surgeon – a minimum of four years of hospital-based surgical residency – and for some, training may amount to as little as a weekend training program. Dental implant placement is surgery, so it makes sense to choose a surgical specialist to perform your procedure, ensuring that your surgeon has the skill and training to produce optimal results.

Extensive Experience With Dental Implant Placement

You’ll want to inquire with surgeons you’re considering as to their experience with dental implant procedures. Ask how long they’ve been in practice and how many implant procedures they perform every year – since a surgeon who places hundreds of implants per year is bound to be better at it than one who only places 20. After all, practice makes perfect. Additionally, a surgeon who performs implant placement procedures regularly is much more likely to be well-versed in both routine and complex implant surgeries than one who only performs these procedures occasionally. Last, but certainly not least, inquire about success rates – the best oral and maxillofacial surgeons will have dental implant success rates around 97 percent – and ask to see before and after pictures of previous dental implant work.

While you may be hesitant to question dental professionals you’re considering for your procedure so closely, you’ll find that good surgeons expect it. They’re well aware of the potential consequences of poorly done dental implants, and are happy to share information about their experience and credentials to put their patient’s minds at ease. So go to your consultation with a list of your questions and concerns in hand. If a particular surgeon seems impatient or annoyed by your questions, cross him or her off your list and find one who is willing to give you the answers you deserve before investing in dental implants.

To schedule a dental implants consultation with one of our oral surgeons, contact our office at (202) 386-7100.