Why Choose a Prosthodontist for Dental Implants?

Dental implants are one of the most important investments you’ll make in your oral health, or your overall health, in your lifetime. If you’re wondering why you should see a specialist when getting dental implants, consider the complexity of implant surgery, how long you hope your implants will last, and how important the placement of your implants will be.

The Importance of Dental Implant Placement

Dental implants serve multiple functions. They stimulate the jawbone, helping to preserve the structure of the jaw and preserve your facial features. This prevents jaw deterioration and the sunken appearance common with people who lose their teeth and forego implants. They also provide stable support for implant restorations, such as crowns and dental prosthetics, including full-arch replacement teeth. If the implants are not placed in precisely the right location for maximum stability and to securely hold the restorations in place for a natural look, feel, and proper function, they may fail.

Prosthodontists are familiar with dental implants and the restorations they support. They are one of the few specialists who both place the implants and design and create the restorations, so they see clearly how the two must work together for a successful outcome.

The Expertise of a Prosthodontist in Implant Dentistry

The expertise of a prosthodontist can’t be underestimated when you’re getting dental implants. Their years of additional training after dental school include both the functional aspects of implant placement and the aesthetics of how your implant restorations will look. Dr. Ferrier is a prosthodontist whose experience in performing full-mouth rehabilitation results in gorgeous, natural-looking smiles that feel like your natural teeth.

As a prosthodontist, Dr. Ferrier has crafted numerous restorations, ranging from individual crowns to full-arch fixed dentures, for his patients, with an eye toward both function and beauty. Because he performs both the implant placement and the final restoration, the process is seamless. He visualizes the end result from the beginning and places your implants with the final restorative goal in mind.

Why You Shouldn’t Settle for a General Dentist

Although some general dentists are willing to place dental implants and restorations, they are not implant dentistry specialists. They don’t regularly perform implant dentistry, and many only attach the restorations after an oral surgeon has placed the implants, requiring the coordination of two different dentists and visits to two different offices. A general dentist’s focus is on preventive and cosmetic care, with implants being only a small portion of their practice. When it comes to a prosthodontist who is a dental implant specialist vs. a general dentist, the prosthodontist has far more experience in complex procedures and handling complications. A general dentist doesn’t.

The Prosthodontist’s Focus on Function + Esthetics

When you need a knee or hip replacement, you see an orthopedic surgeon who specializes in these types of procedures because they are highly complex. You should take the same care when choosing a specialist for your dental implants. Prosthodontists like Dr. Ferrier are recognized as dental implant specialists because their dual focus on function and aesthetics, combined with rigorous training, makes them uniquely qualified to plan and place dental implants with long-term success.