Quality Control for Your Dental Implants

Patients and general dentists would both agree we couldn't live without oral surgeons for a number of reasons. They provide surgery with safe general anesthesia and sedation. They make the most challenging surgeries a success. Most patients know that a surgeon is important to getting implants accomplished. They are highly trained in placing dental implants. But in order to replace teeth, it's not just the oral surgeon that matters. The entire process from your tooth removal to your final implant crown determines the best results for chewing and smiling.

To get the best results with dental implants, you need to first talk with your general dentist about your goals. Dentists are the "general contractors" for implant projects. They need to have up-to-date knowledge, equipment and the skills to plan your tooth replacement with implants from the ground up. Since the standard of care for tooth replacement is with implants, dentists should be experienced with the planning and placement of different types of implants and teeth. If your implants are going to succeed, they will have to examine the bone, gums, and your teeth that need to be replaced. They will need to design a "blueprint" for your final teeth before surgery ever happens.

Today, the most successful plans are usually designed with the aid of a CT scan of your jaws and teeth, and the dentist uses software to create the final results before the implant surgery even begins. Once the "blueprint" is finished, the surgery can be executed more accurately and predictably.

In some cases, your dentist may be in the best position to perform your implant surgery. Not only do they understand how implant teeth need to be be built and look, they also know where the implants need to be placed at the time of your surgery. Your dentist can have complete control of the project, from design, to ordering materials, to installation and finishing of the implant teeth. Quality control can remain with your "general contractor" at every step.

At Cascadia, Dr. Rafoth has been taking this approach, providing implant surgery for his patients since 2000. He uses Simplant technology to plan their cases. And he offers a wide range of dental implants, crowns, bridges, and dentures to fit the unique situations of every patient. Call us today for a free consultation!