Two halves of treatment
Implant treatment has two parts.
- Surgical. Placing the implants, and any bone grafting the case needs.76
- Restorative. Planning, designing and fitting the crown, bridge or denture on the implants.3
One dentist can do both halves, or a surgeon and a restorative dentist can share the case.13 The AAP states that some general dentists perform implant procedures and many refer more challenging cases to periodontists.1
The specialists
The National Commission on Recognition of Dental Specialties and Certifying Boards lists 12 recognized dental specialties.4 Three of them are described below.4
| Specialist | Definition and training | Implant role |
|---|---|---|
| Oral and maxillofacial surgeon | Surgical treatment of the hard and soft tissues of the mouth, jaws and face4; at least four years of hospital-based surgical residency2 | Implant surgery7; all forms of sedation and general anesthesia2 |
| Periodontist | Prevention, diagnosis and treatment of disease of the tissues around teeth or their substitutes4; three additional years after dental school1 | Surgical placement; the AAP calls periodontists experts in surgical placement of implants1 |
| Prosthodontist | Diagnosis, treatment planning, rehabilitation and maintenance for patients with missing or deficient teeth4; at least three additional years in a CODA-accredited program3 | Planning and making the teeth; the ACP calls prosthodontists the leaders of the dental treatment plan3 |
Implant dentistry is not a recognized specialty
Implant dentistry is not on the Commission's list of recognized specialties.4 General dentists who place implants may hold credentials from implant organizations; those credentials are covered in the associations section of this site.
Who leads the plan
The ACP states that prosthodontists regularly lead teams of general dentists, specialists and other health professionals.3 The ITI Group 2 consensus recommends that the implant placement protocol and the loading protocol be planned together.5
Questions to ask
- Who places the implants and who makes the teeth.
- If two offices are involved, who coordinates the plan and the timing.
- How many cases like this one each dentist has completed.
General information about dental implants. Treatment decisions are made with a licensed dentist.
Sources
- American Academy of Periodontology: What is a Periodontist?. perio.org
- AAOMS (MyOMS.org): Anesthesia for Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery. myoms.org
- American College of Prosthodontists (GoToAPro): Why See a Prosthodontist?. gotoapro.org
- National Commission on Recognition of Dental Specialties and Certifying Boards: Recognized Dental Specialties. ncrdscb.ada.org
- Morton D et al. Group 2 ITI Consensus Report: Prosthodontics and implant dentistry. Clin Oral Implants Res 2018. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- AAOMS (MyOMS.org): Bone Grafting. myoms.org
- AAOMS (MyOMS.org): How Do Dental Implants Work?. myoms.org
