How to Choose The Right Implant Dentist

In the video above, Dr. Evan Pivetz explains the crucial factors you need to consider before undergoing treatment. When patients visit New Smile Columbus Dental Implant Studio, it is rarely their only consultation. Because restoring your smile is a life-changing medical procedure, it is completely normal to visit multiple offices. However, many patients struggle to figure out how to evaluate different providers. We want to guide you through the process of choosing a dental implant office, understanding the surgical risks, and evaluating the materials used for your new teeth.

What to Look for When Choosing an Office for Dental Implants

When deciding where to go for dental implants, the first factor to look at is whether the office completes the entire process under one roof. In many traditional models, a dentist will refer you to an outside oral surgeon for the surgical phase, and then you must return to the original dentist to have the teeth placed. This means you are bouncing between multiple offices and communicating with completely different teams. This fragmented approach can lead to miscommunication regarding who is truly in charge of your outcome.

Having everything handled cohesively in one location makes the procedure significantly smoother and faster. It limits the number of hiccups you might experience as a patient. In addition to a unified team, you should ensure the provider utilizes modern technology. Some offices still rely on old-fashioned methods, such as placing patients in traditional removable dentures for six months before providing permanent teeth. At our office, we leverage modern advancements like 3D dental x-rays, multiple intraoral scanners, and in-house 3D printers to deliver the highest quality care.

Finally, you must feel comfortable. You will be building a long-term relationship with this team during and after your treatment. Feeling like more than just a number in a giant corporate office is vital to your overall experience. Make sure you know your doctor and truly like the people handling your care.

• Comprehensive Care:
  Ensure the office performs both the surgical placement and the prosthetic creation in one single location with a cohesive team.
• Advanced Technology:
  Look for providers utilizing 3D printers, digital scanners, and 3D dental x-rays rather than outdated, old-fashioned methods.
• Personalized Comfort:
  Choose a clinic where you feel a close personal touch and are entirely comfortable with the team managing your long-term relationship.

Will I Have Teeth Throughout the Process?

A very common question we receive from nervous patients is whether they will have to go without teeth or wear traditional removable dentures during their recovery. At New Smile Columbus, our primary goal is that every single patient leaves with teeth within a day of their surgery. We believe that you should not have to suffer with gaps in your smile or struggle with bulky dentures while your mouth heals.

Instead, we place healing teeth that are firmly screwed into your implants. These healing teeth do not come in and out. This allows you to smile confidently, laugh freely, and enjoy your life comfortably before you get your final set. You come into the office with teeth that are painful or uncomfortable, and you leave with a beautiful, fixed set of new teeth.

Understanding the Risks of Dental Implant Procedures

It is completely natural to be nervous about the potential risks associated with dental implant procedures. Because this is a biological procedure, there is always a possibility that things might not go perfectly. After surgery, some patients experience temporary numbness or minor bleeding. These are completely normal biological responses and can be managed and controlled by our clinical team. The numbness almost always goes away, and bleeding stops with careful care.

The primary concern most people have is the risk of an implant failing to fuse to the bone. While dental implants have an excellent track record with a ninety-five percent success rate, failure can occur in about five percent of cases. Fortunately, this is not a catastrophe. We meticulously plan every surgery using 3D dental x-rays to place implants in the absolute best position. If one does fail during the healing phase, our plan is simple. We place a new one, attach your teeth right back on, and go through the healing process again.

Pros and Cons of Final Teeth Materials

When choosing your provider, you must ask what your final teeth will be made out of. The traditional method involved making the final prosthetic out of acrylic, which is the same plastic material used for standard dentures. Some offices advertise cheaper prices because they provide final teeth made from temporary milled PMMA plastic. These look nice initially but are only designed to be temporary. At our office, we do not do things halfway. We use a material called zirconia for your final teeth.

Pros of Zirconia Teeth

• Maximum Durability:
  Zirconia is a highly strong material that allows you to chew and eat whatever you want without fear of your teeth breaking.
• High Aesthetics:
  This material offers the most aesthetic result, giving you a natural and beautiful smile that you can be proud of.
• Permanent Solution:
  Unlike temporary plastics, zirconia provides a long-lasting, definitive solution for your missing teeth.

Cons of Acrylic and PMMA Teeth

• Prone to Breaking:
  Plastic and acrylic materials are inherently weaker and have a higher tendency to break after a little bit of time.
• Susceptible to Staining:
  After a year or two of eating and drinking, these cheaper materials will begin to stain and discolor.
• Temporary Nature:
  These materials leave you in a halfway position, as they are not designed to be the absolute best long-term option for your mouth.

Comparing Final Material Options for Dental Implants

Material Type	Durability and Strength	Aesthetic Lifespan
Acrylic and PMMA Plastic	Weaker material that is prone to breaking and chipping over time.	Looks nice initially but absorbs stains after a year or two.
Advanced Zirconia	The strongest material available, allowing you to eat whatever you want.	Highly aesthetic, permanent material that resists long-term staining.