The dental industry can sometimes feel like the Wild West. Although shifts in regulations are no doubt on the horizon, the current state of dental care and misleading advertising can leave patients vulnerable to a poor standard of care. A good majority of my time is spent doing revisionary work on patients who are experiencing failed dental implants and poor dentistry at the hands of another dentist.
There is currently a lack of education and awareness as to how complex these procedures can be and that there are wide-ranging standards of care available. Additionally, consumers don’t always see the value in choosing the most experienced or high-level dental specialist. That is, they don’t know the value until it is too late and they are faced with needing to having their dentistry re-performed a second time after their initial work fails them. I recommend you seek out a specialist to perform complex dentistry like dental implants and All-On-Four treatments.
3 Simple Rules for a Successful Dental Implant Procedure
1. Get a qualified second opinion.
In dentistry as in life, perspective is good. I recommend a second opinion from a licensed prosthodontist, before committing to removing and replacing your natural teeth. Those suffering from toothlessness, or edentulism, will want to make sure that they even have adequate bone depth in their jaw for a successful dental implant procedure.
Be wary of dental clinics that push their patients to get implants despite having healthy or salvageable teeth. Also, be careful of doctors and dentists who aren’t willing or able to answer this simple question satisfactorily: “Why do I need dental implants?”
2. Seek a specialist.
The truth is, not all dentists or general practitioners are qualified or able to execute a dental implant procedure. In fact, only trained and licensed dental specialists, such as a prosthodontist, have the skills, equipment, experience, training, and professional certification to truly perform dental implantation work to the highest quality and standards.
Dental specialists, particularly prosthodontists focus on dental implantation work on a daily basis in their trade and are your best option for a smooth, non-eventful, easy recovery process, with stunningly beautiful aesthetics and results.
If you do enough market research, you will find there are some general dental clinics who, in addition to general dentistry services, also offer dental implant services. While I will not comment on the quality of the work executed by non-specialists, I will say that I spend a good portion of my time repairing dental implants gone wrong by other “dental professionals.”
A recent example of this is our patient Gloria (pictured above and below). She was desperate for the right implant treatment and came to see me on the recommendation of a surgeon in San Diego. Despite receiving dental treatment from several dental providers, her condition only worsened, and no one could provide a clear treatment path that looked remotely successful. Gloria would be the first to tell you only to use a specialist. Check out the photos below but also read her story here along with additional photographs and video.
Badly Placed Implants
And there is also Maria, who found ArtLab Dentistry online, reading our case studies and testimonials. Maria came to me with a severe problem associated with badly placed implants, poorly positioned gum lines, irregular gum margins, infected front teeth, and in a considerable amount of pain.
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Teeth whitening, cosmetic dental crowns, porcelain veneers, and conventional dental implants are some of the more popular options available to those who aspire to a perfect smile.
3. Consider dental implants as an investment in your future.
Your dental implants are intended to be permanent replacements for your natural teeth. But more than that they are to enhance your life. Gone is the embarrassment of missing teeth, pain, or bad breath.
Consider David who came to ArtLab Dentistry in 2015. David said he needed to “kick-start” his life. He had lost his wife and knew he had to make some changes or be resigned to depression, pain, and embarrassment. David was quite a challenge due to collapsed bite and teeth along with repeated infections and pain. His life today has been transformed. He not only has new teeth with the All-On-4 Dental Implants but he has a fresh start on life. Check out his story, video, and more photos here.
If a dental implant is well-constructed, correctly placed, and diligently maintained and cared for, it should enhance your life and last a lifetime.
If you haven’t yet taken the ArtLab Dental Implant Calculator & Assessment Tool, I highly recommend you do that. I promise it will give you credible information and peace of mind when deciding on dental implants, in particular, the All-On-4 Dental Implants. You can access our tool here. What you will find is complete transparency around price, benefits, and features. There are no hidden fees, unexplained jargon, or the runaround. You will get my opinion based on over 20 years of experience in a concise personal report that will consider your implant goals, provide you with pricing, list your implant options with detailed explanations, and give you the next steps for getting the best dental implants and treatment. You will not find this anywhere else.
What you may find at some dental clinics is a lower price. Just keep in mind, in order to achieve a lower cost, some clinics may compromise on one or more of the factors I cover in the ArtLab Dental Implant Calculator & Assessment Tool. On the surface, it may appear comparable but more than likely that is not the case.
I hope if you relate to David, Gloria, or Maria that you will find the inspiration to take action. Call us at 818-465-5041 and schedule a consultation with me (Dr. Mamaly Reshad). We are here for you and we want to help you reclaim your life.
