Any time you want to make something over, you have to be sure it’s done correctly. Maybe you’re remodeling your kitchen, having landscaping put in, or getting work done on your car. You put all of your trust into the person you choose to do the job. You want it done properly, fairly, and most of all, you want the results to look the way you thought they would.
It’s no different when it comes to your smile. Selecting a dental implant provider—especially in a place as large as DFW—can seem daunting. If you’re in the early stages of selecting an implant dentist, here are some things you’ll want to keep in mind.
Ask Your Friends
If you’re comfortable sharing that you plan to get dental implants, feel free to ask other people who they’ve used. Personal recommendations are worth their weight in gold. Especially when it comes to something as life-changing as your smile. You probably already ask for personal input for other types of big investments (like selecting a realtor or automotive specialist) so why should it be any different with your dental provider?
Ask Your Dentist for a Referral
Are you currently seeing a general dentist for routine checkups? Even if they place individual dental implants in their office, they may still prefer to refer you to a specialist for full mouth implant therapy. It’s perfectly acceptable to ask your family dentist if they recommend any specific implant specialists in your area. Add the name(s) to the list you’ve already started from previous recommendations.
Do Your Research
Now that you have a shortlist of implant dentist’s names, you can start looking them up online. Check to see what credentials they hold and the type of training they’ve received. Are they a specialist such as a prosthodontist, oral surgeon, periodontist, or another implant expert? Do they belong to any specific associations related to full mouth dental implant therapy? Make a note of which practices have the most highly-trained specialists on staff.
Read Dentist Online Reviews
Every online review—whether it’s a restaurant or something else—always has to be taken with a grain of salt. The key is to look for trends in reviews. Such as consistent, highly-rated recommendations or the same compliments being paid over and over again. There will always be someone with a bone to pick, but if you’re seeing amazing 5-star reviews on a day-in, day-out basis, you know you can shorten your list of implant dentists to the best two or three.
Check Out the Sedation and Financing Options
Two of the biggest concerns of any full mouth implant patient are comfort and affordability. Perhaps you have insurance, or maybe you don’t. Do you want to finance your smile transformation so that you can make affordable monthly payments? Ask the office which types of payment plans they happen to offer.
Similarly, your comfort during a full mouth implant treatment is extremely important. But the type of sedation that implant dentists offer can vary from one practice to the next. If you want moderate to deep sedation, check to make sure it’s offered by that specific provider.
Start with a One-on-One Consultation
One of the best ways to find a great implant dentist is to meet with your top picks in person. When you’re there for a consultation you’ll get a general feel for their practice, methodologies, and if they’re a good fit for your needs. More often than not, you can tell from a personal visit with an implant dentist if they’re the right provider for your situation.
Consultations don’t need to be complex. Maybe it’s just a 15-minute visit to get a feel for the practice or to see what they offer. But if you’re a bit more committed to moving forward, you can go ahead and reserve a comprehensive exam and implant treatment planning session.
View Before-and-After Photographs
Make sure you ask to see some of the implant dentist’s completed cases. Perhaps they have an online portfolio or photo gallery, where you can see similar full mouth makeovers.
Since cosmetic implant treatment is truly a work of art, you need to know what the results consistently look like. Many of the variations of materials, techniques, and even the lab that is used can greatly impact the final results of a smile makeover. Feel free to share your likes or dislikes, so that the dentist can recommend specific modifications that fit your preferences. No two smiles will ever look the same!
Consider Getting Second Opinions
Didn’t get the warm fuzzies with the last dentist you visited? You’re not the first one to feel that way. In fact, a lot of dental insurances even offer to cover the cost of a second opinion, because they know patients will typically opt for the more conservative one.
A second opinion for something as life-changing as dental implants is like test driving a car. Sometimes you know it’s “the one” right off the bat, but other times you need to get behind the wheel of another make or model just to be sure that you’re making the best choice. Some of us need that, others don’t. The ultimate goal is for you to just feel confident and comfortable about the person or team who is going to be transforming your smile.
It’s Time to Visit an ARCHPOINT Dentist
At ARCHPOINT, we treat every single patient as if they were one of our closest family members. Whether you need to replace a couple of missing teeth or you’re exploring full mouth dental implant therapy, we’re here to provide some of the best implant treatments in the Dallas and Fort Worth metroplex. When you reserve an appointment at ARCHPOINT, you can rest assured that you’ll be receiving the highest quality of implant care in the industry.
We invite you to contact us today to reserve a zero-pressure visit with one of our DFW implant specialists. Experience the ARCHPOINT difference for yourself!
