I’m trying to choose between two dentists for getting dental implants. It’s on a top front tooth. One says if I don’t get a CT scan, I’m asking for dental implant failure or other problems. The other dentist says it is unnecessary and expensive. I don’t want to waste money, but I also don’t want to have dental implant failure.
Help!
Linda
Dear Linda,
I’m glad you are checking. I would say the CT scan is extremely important. This is especially true with where your dental implant is being placed. The advantages of a CT scan is it gives a 3D view of the layout for this procedure.
I can’t tell you how many people have ended up with their dental implant perforating the sinus cavity because the dentist didn’t have a great image of the area. I’m a little concerned about the second dentist’s attitude. And if he always does dental implant placement without a CT scan and has never hit a sinus cavity, my guess is he uses shorter implants to prevent that possibility. While you may think that is no big deal, the smaller implants don’t hold up as well.
Good implant dentists care very much what type of implant fixtures they use. Some dentists will buy cheap fixtures to save money. They’ll either charge less to draw in patients or charge the same as other implant dentists to increase their profits. The big problem with using these fixtures is things don’t usually go wrong until later. The patient will have no idea what caused their implant failure.
If you want the safest option, I’d go with the first dentist.
Dental Implants and Teeth Whitening
There are some aesthetics to consider here with it being a front tooth you are replacing. You’ll want to make sure whoever makes your implant is an expert cosmetic dentist. Matching a single crown to a front tooth is something only the best cosmetic dentists can do well. Look for a dentist who is accredited with the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry.
A second consideration is the current color of your teeth. The color your crown is made is permanent. If you plan on whitening your teeth in the near future, it makes more sense for you to bleach your teeth before the crown is made. That way you won’t have to replace the crown to match the whiter color. Dental work doesn’t whiten, only natural tooth color.
This blog is brought to you by Lexington Dentist Dr. Fred Arnold.