It’s not hard to find implant dentists who’ll promise “teeth in a day.” Those national corporate practitioners you see online and on television are constantly trumpeting faster, easier tooth implants. However, look a bit closer or read the fine print and you’ll discover a very different scenario.

Too Good To Be True?

Make no mistake; getting tooth implants is really a surgical procedure. When it comes to your health, are you really willing to resort to a “fast food” surgical approach where speed and cost are the main benefits? There’s an old adage that goes “fast, cheap or good, pick any two” that might easily apply to much of what you hear from many implant dental practitioners.

Getting teeth in a day isn’t impossible, but as with any surgical procedure, there are important steps required leading up to that “teeth in a day” event. For dental implants, every situation is as different as each individual’s teeth or overall oral health. Whether implants are the answer for your particular situation is something that needs to be concluded before any procedure begins. Thorough analysis and a complete examination are essential first steps in order for this surgical process to be successful. Perhaps, even more importantly, you should never have healthy, functioning teeth extracted to facilitate a “one treatment fits all, cookie cutter implant treatment.” NEVER LET ANYONE talk you into extracting healthy teeth for dentures or implants!

The Three “P”s of Implant Dentistry

Planning, preparation and placement are how Dr. Alan Robinson sums-up as the steps required for implant patients to receive the exact treatment they need. Aside from the unique and personal factors influencing whether implants are the right solution and which type of implant procedure will work best, these important factors are what initiate the entire clinical and procedural process. Plus, we always save as many of your natural teeth as possible.

Planning – Conducting a thorough examination helps to frame the problem and the patient expectations prior to surgery. Patients undergo a complete dental exam including X-rays and molds, or digital scans of your mouth. We assess your individual situation and evaluate your teeth, gums, and bone structure prior to formulate a treatment plan.

Preparation – Implant dentistry isn’t as simple as pull one tooth and plug it with an implant. Minimally invasive implants, like those Dr. Robinson routinely recommends, are simpler, quicker, easier, more comfortable and less expensive than conventional implants. However, analysis of the bone density and width of the patients jaw need to be done for small diameter/mini implants or large diameter conventional implants. The entire process can take between 3 to 12 weeks from placement to completely heal for long-term restoration.

Placement – As with any surgery you don’t want guesswork dictating how your new implant fits into your mouth and allows normal movement, oral comfort and ingestion. Implant sites without close tolerances are often operated “free hand” meaning the implant is placed visually and by palpation, centering, paralleling, and matching adjacent and opposing teeth. In those instances where site tolerances require analog or digital precision, our new, real-time digital surgical monitoring system, X-Guide, is employed to provide an exact fit. We also use “static” retainer type analog or digital surgical guides when they are most appropriate for you. No “cookie cutter” treatment plans here!

Do Your Homework

Patients researching options to restore their smile with dental implants need to understand some important concepts so that they can make educated decisions regarding comfort, function, and esthetics based on their treatment objectives. This is a long-term investment in your dental health and a team effort with you and your dentist. It’s critical that you choose a dental implant expert, not just any dental practitioner. Make sure you find a dental implant professional that meets key educational, training, credentialing and competency standards to help make your implant process a more satisfying experience.

Dr. Alan F. Robinson’s Lakeside Center for Implant Dentistry is Michigan’s premier minimally invasive dental implant provider, a complete dental health office offering complex dental services including full mouth reconstruction, cosmetic dentistry and family dentistry. Dr. Robinson is a pioneer in minimally invasive implant surgical procedures and has spoken and taught nationally and internationally on the topic. Dr Robinson is certified Diplomate by the International Academy of Mini Dental Implants (IAMDI) and the International Congress of Oral Implantologists (ICOI) and is Board Certified in Dental Implantology by the ICOI.