Dental implants are fast becoming the preferred method of replacing missing teeth. One study estimates that by 2026, 23% of people with missing teeth might have them replaced with dental implants. Compare this to the .7% prevalence of implants found in dental patients missing teeth between 1999 and 2000. This growth in prevalence is a testament to the popularity and reliability of dental implants as well as their increased availability.
In recent years more general dentist have been placing an increasingly higher proportion of the dental implants placed each year, when compared to specialists like periodontists. With almost a third of dental implants being placed by general dentists each year, it seems like you can go anywhere to get dental implants these days. It’s worth noting though, that not all dentists and dental implant patients are created equal.
Even general dentists that feel comfortable placing one dental implant may refer a more complex case, where multiple teeth need to be replaced with implants, to a periodontist or specialist. As a specialist in the gums and bine supporting the teeth, a periodontist is also perfectly suited to augment the bone and gums at the site of the missing tooth if not enough tissue exists to place the implant in. General dentists may refer a patient with low bone volume to a specialist since they only have the training to place the implant, not augment the tissue.
Some research indicates that even for simpler dental implant procedures, where only one dental implant is placed, a specialist may be the preferred option, however. When researchers compared the success rate of dental implants placed by general dentists to those placed by a specialist they found a lower success rate with general dentists. With a dental treatment like dental implants, where the dental implants are supposed to last for the lifetime of the patient, going with a practitioner that has a high success rate is a must.
The team at Dental Town DC recognizes the connivence of getting the dental implant and and dental restoration done in the same place but also the benefits of having a dental implant placed by a specialist. This is why Dental Town DC has both a general dentist and a periodontist in their dental office. In Washington DC especially, where the demographics are skewing increasingly older and as a result more complex implant cases may become the rule rather than the exception, it’s important to have a specialist available to place dental implants.
If you are in or near Washington DC and are looking for a dentist to place dental implants, schedule an appointment with our general dentist and periodontist and see if they are the right fit for your transformative dental implant journey.