Whether you’ve recently received a tooth extraction or have lived with missing teeth for quite some time, you find yourself ready to take the next step and get an implant. But before you can do so, you need to find a dental implant specialist who will make sure you receive the best care and end result possible. Thankfully, that search for a specialist has delivered you here. Today, we will summarize what you need to look for when choosing a clinic.
5 Signs That You’ve Found a Dental Implant Specialist You Can Trust
1. Accreditations, Awards, Accolades (and More)
A reputable clinic that offers dental implant services will be proud to put their team on a pedestal. Visit the staff page on the clinic’s website and take a good look at the specialists. What exactly are you looking for? Well, in addition to friendly faces (that’s important!), the keywords here are prosthodontics and periodontics.
By definition, prosthodontics is the branch of dentistry concerned with the design, manufacture, and fitting of artificial replacements for teeth and other parts of the mouth. Periodontics is the brand of dentistry concerned with the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of periodontal disease, and in the placement of dental implants. Now of course, a clinic that offers dental implant services will have a prosthodontist and periodontist on staff, but that in itself is not enough. To gain complete peace of mind that you’ve come to the right place, you want to see accreditations that speak to the quality of work you’re about to receive.
Is the team quarterbacked by a Board Certified Specialist in Prosthodontics? Do they count a Board Certified Specialist in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery amongst them? Is there a list of accreditations, awards, accolades, and qualifications directly related to dental implants? These can include a Prosthodontics Specialty Diploma, a Doctorate in Medical Dentistry Degree, and a Masters of Sciences in Craniofacial Science from a prestigious university. The prosthodontist may even be a part of a faculty at their alma mater, extending beyond their practice to teach restorative and prosthetic dentistry to the next generation.
Awards to look for can include the Max Nacht Memorial Prize in Dentistry, American Academy of Implant Dentistry Dental Student Award, American College of Prosthodontists Undergraduate Achievement Prize, and more. Lastly, you will want to make sure that the prosthodontist is a member of key organizations. In BC (where you are), those may include the Royal College of Dentists of Canada, the Canadian Dental Association, Dental Specialists Society of BC, British Columbia Society of Prosthodontics, and the BC Dental Association. A BC clinic’s periodontist will also have some important memberships and associations to look for, including (but not exclusive to) active member ship with the Canadian Academy of Periodontology and the BC Society of Periodontists and BC Dental Association.
We know we’re hitting you with a lot of information here, but in the end, a clinic that is led by a prosthodontist that has a deep “resume” (so to speak) and even deeper team is one you can trust. That’s step one in your selection process. Let’s keep reading.
2. Advanced Equipment and Facilities
An expert and well-educated team still needs access to cutting edge tools to serve your dental implant needs best. This will prompt you to look for information about their equipment and facilities. For example, does the clinic provide 3-D technology to implant patients, such as a dental specific CT scanner that can perform a cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) evaluation? Do they have a Platelet Rich Fibrin (PRF) machine that can be applied by their clinic’s specialists in bone grafting for implants and more? Inquire about advanced dental equipment and take a good look at the facility before deciding where you’ll go for your dental implant/s.
3. Open Access to Dental Implant Information
The right specialist for you is one that is forthright with information about the entire dental implant procedure, before, during, and after. While a phone or in-person consultation will go along way to putting your mind at ease, the clinic should be open about all relevant implant information, which will include a comprehensive and honest look at the different options available to you.
4. A History of Referrals
One thing that many people don’t think to look for, when considering dental implant specialist options, is whether or not other local practitioners refer their own patients to a given clinic for specialized implant needs. Think about it, when the local health community deems a specialist to be the “go to” solution in the dental implant field, you know you’ve come to the right resource. If a clinic you’re considering is candid about accepting referrals from doctors/dentists, you can check yet another qualifier off of the list.
5. Rave Reviews from Real People Near You
Last but certainly not least, is hearing from your peers, those who have been in need and received successful dental implants. Now this can be tricky. Pretty much every clinic website out there has a “Testimonials” page, but this feedback has been filtered to feature the good news. What clinic would post negative feedback on their own website? Instead, you need to look to non-bias review resources, including Google Reviews, WhatClinic, and other social sources such as Facebook that won’t allow a business to filter out real consumer (patient) feedback.
While it may seem like we’ve been leading the witness this whole time, the inevitable conclusion here is the only conclusion. When it comes to checking all of the boxes above, there is no dental implant specialty clinic in the Greater Vancouver area quite like ours. But don’t just take our word for it, see for yourself by scheduling a consultation today, and find out how comfortable you’ll be in our capable hands.