Implant Dentistry – Teamwork Approach Works Best!

Implant Dentistry – Teamwork Approach Works Best!

The first dental implant, an artificial tooth root that holds a replacement tooth, bridge or

denture, was introduced to the United States back in the 1970’s.  At the time, there was

only one dental implant, the Branemark Implant System.  It remains the model for

today’s modern implant.  The idea was conceived by a Swedish orthopedic surgeon, Dr.

Per-Ingvar Branemark, while working with titanium metal chamber to study bone

healing.   He found that titanium could fuse to bone, also known as osseointegration,

which makes a titanium dental implant successful.  

Upon introduction to the marketplace, Branemark only sold dental implants to the best

oral surgeons.  The company did not allow other dental professionals to place their

implants.  Unfortunately, today there are no restrictions, implied or otherwise,

regarding who can buy and place dental implants.  And, today there are hundreds of

companies manufacturing dental implants and thousands of dental providers who place

them.  As with most products and providers, the quality of each will vary.  

Placing dental implants is a surgical procedure and should be handled by a board-

certified surgeon, specifically an oral surgeon or periodontist. Specialists have the

proper surgical training and understanding of implants that lead to a successful

completion of a treatment plan.  The success rate of dental implants placed by board-

certified oral surgeons is 98%.  

Your dentist is uniquely qualified to restore your tooth with a crown, bridge or a

denture; and, while working cooperatively with your oral surgeon, a patient can expect a

seamless treatment plan.  Unfortunately, many general dentists are opting to place

implants these days.  The failure rate for these implants is approximately 20%.  There is

too much time and money involved with dental implants to run the risk of failure.   

Consider the reasons that your dentist may offer to place your implant.  

I encourage each patient to consider the unique specialties, training, and experience of

each dental provider involved in your case.  As a general rule, there are very few doctors

that can successfully provide all of the services needed.   The interdisciplinary approach

is clearly the best way to ensure a quality and long-lasting result.  

M. James Clark, D.D.S. is a board-certified oral surgeon practicing at Northwest Oral &

Maxillofacial Surgery.  To find out more about Dr. Clark and all of the surgeons at

NWOMS, please visit texasoralsurgery.com.  For questions about oral surgery, feel free

to email Dr. Clark at referral@nwoms.net. 

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