Your dentist will more than likely be the professional that will determine if you need dental implants. General dentists can recommend procedures, but they do not typically perform this type of surgery. There are a few different options when it comes to finding someone qualified and experienced enough to help you get the smile you’ve always wanted.
A cosmetic dentist's focus is to improve the beauty of your smile and provide cosmetic options for doing so. They are trained to perform dental implant placement procedures; however, they may require another party, such as a periodontist or an oral surgeon, to be there while the procedure is being performed, depending on requirements and licensing needs.
An oral surgeon is likely the one who will be completing a dental implant procedure. They specialize in oral surgery. Therefore when an operation such as this needs to occur, they are trained specifically in this procedure and this specialty. If bone grafting would be needed before the implants can fuse to the jawbone, an oral surgeon is more trained in bone grafting procedures than a general dentist.
The procedure for placing dental implants means they will have to go into the gums and fuse the implants to the jawbone. Periodontists specialize in the supporting structures in the mouth and are generally very capable of doing a dental implant procedure. You may be seeing a periodontist if you suffer from gum disease and need treatment for this. If that is the case, you may choose to stick with this provider as it is someone you are comfortable with and who understands your situation.
The choice of who you should go to for your procedure is personal and will depend on different factors. If you have had procedures done at a cosmetic dentist in the past, you may opt to go to them for this procedure as you are more comfortable with them. If you are searching for a new provider and don’t have a current preference, you may go with an oral surgeon. An oral surgeon has the best level of experience when it comes to dental implant surgery. If you had to have a bone graft procedure, you would have to visit an oral surgeon anyways, so it may be best to see them from the start.
A general dentist may perform the procedure depending on their experience, but it isn’t often that they do. They typically refer you to another provider to complete the surgery to ensure you have the best care possible. Which provider to use is really dependent on your own preferences and how invasive the surgery or procedure may end up being. Whoever you choose, you will want them to describe to you what steps you will follow for the procedure and aftercare. Aftercare is just as important, if not more important than the procedure itself,f to make sure you heal properly and have your new smile for many years to come.
Request an appointment here: http://www.drmccawley.com or call James R McCawley DDS at (615) 526-2497 for an appointment in our Murfreesboro office.
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