When you’re about to invest in a life changing treatment like dental implants, you deserve the confidence of knowing you’re working with the best implant dentist in Raleigh. The better the dentist, the more assured you can feel about the overall treatment process, comfort, and long-term results of your investment.
A lot of dentists in Raleigh offer dental implant therapy to their patients. When you’re getting ready to choose the one that’s best for you, the process can seem a bit daunting. How can you entrust your oral wellness to someone you don’t know yet?
Here are several important steps to help you find the best provider for your smile makeover:
Ask for Personal Referrals
First things first, ask people who they recommend. Don’t hold back. Ask your friends, your neighbors, other parents from your kid’s school, or in online community forums. Word-of-mouth referrals are probably one of the best ways to find an exceptional dentist, regardless of the service that you’re looking for. Especially if it’s coming from someone you respect.
If you specify you need someone who provides dental implants, it can help to narrow the process down a bit more. Not every dentist provides implant therapy. So, if your personal referrals specifically reference implant treatment, even better.
Most of the time when you’re asking for recommendations on a dentist, you’ll get a half dozen different names. What you want to look for is a pattern. If there’s one specific implant dentist who is mentioned repeatedly, put them at the top of your list. Ideally you want to have at least 2-3 different dentists on your short list. However, don’t dismiss the recommendations that come with extremely high reviews, even if it’s just from 1-2 people.
Look Up the Dentist
Now it’s time to start doing some investigative work. To find the best implant dentist in Raleigh, you’ll want to start with their personal or practice websites. Specifically look up what credentials they have and the type of training they’ve completed. Are they someone who attends numerous professional development courses each year? Are they an “industry leader” when it comes to implant treatment? Are they a mentor in their profession? If so, you know they’ll be fluent in implant therapy and be able to provide the best care possible.
Although all general dentists receive basic implant training in dental school, only some pursue advanced training or credentialing on a professional basis. Most of these programs last weeks, months, or even years.
If you’re not sure whether a particular dentist has advanced training and it’s not listed on their website, just call their office to ask.
Some dentists will also have online galleries of cases they’ve completed. This makes it possible to see real life before and after examples of treatments involving dental implants, veneers, and overall smile makeovers. Take time to browse through the examples to see if there are any cases similar to your own circumstances.
Find Out Which Type of Implants They Offer
Do you have your heart set on a specific type of dental implant treatment? Although it’s important to understand that not everyone qualifies for dental implants and that each case is unique, you’ll want to find out if the dentist’s office provides the options you’re curious about. That way you can at least find out if you’re a candidate for the treatment or learn more about better alternatives for your situation.
For instance, maybe you’re planning to have several individual dental implants and crowns, but the dentist you’re seeing knows it’s better for you to get a pair of implants with a short dental bridge. Or perhaps you’re considering an implant stabilized overdenture, but the implant dentist knows you would make an excellent candidate for All-on-4 treatment.
When you choose a Raleigh implant dentist who offers a wider variety of implant therapies, you’ll be better positioned to find one that’s perfect for your smile and lifestyle.
Check Out Their Technology
Placing dental implants can range from extremely simple to quite complex. Much of it depends on your unique oral anatomy and where the missing tooth is located. If you have an upper back tooth that’s missing, there’s a chance that your nasal sinuses have sunk into the space (which can interfere with an implant placement.) Or perhaps you’ve had gum disease in the past and suspect narrow bone.
Dentists with advanced imaging technology — such as CBCT scanning — are able to see 3D images of your oral anatomy prior to placing the implant. They can essentially view all of your bone and surrounding anatomical features without having to begin the surgery. From there, it’s possible to pre-plan the implant procedure or even digitally create a guide that shows where the implants need to be installed.
Having 3D imaging is priceless compared to traditional 2D X-rays, regardless of the experience of your dentist. The expanded technology improves accuracy and even limits the overall length of time required on the day of your treatment.
Read Online Reviews
Aside from word-of-mouth recommendations you should also look for online reviews of implant dentists near you. Just keep in mind that there will always be someone who will leave a bad review. People tend to run straight to the internet to vent about things when they think they’ve been “done wrong” (even if they are, in fact, the ones at fault; there are two sides to every story.) That being said, online reviews can be exceptionally helpful. Especially if a specific dentists has positive after positive review, one after another. When the majority of the reviews are highly ranked, it means you’re headed in the right direction! But on the other hand, if a majority of the reviews are bad, you should probably run like the wind.
Ask About Financing Options
Now for the part that’s just as important as finding the best practitioner: the costs involved. Investing in dental implants is something that will impact your smile for the rest of your life. You want to be sure that you spend your money wisely and that your implant dentist is able to take your dental insurance, if applicable.
Even if the dentist is “out of network” they may still be able to file claims on your behalf, as long as you have a PPO. In that case the total out-of-pocket dollar amount will be a little different than if you saw an in-network dentist, but the difference may not be as big as what you assume.
From there, you also want to ask about payment plans. Implant financing can complement your insurance coverage or be used independently for the overall cost of treatment. Most dental practices partner with dental financing plans that make it easier for patients to afford treatment without having to wait. Sometimes the low interest rates are as little as 0% for up to 6-12 months, as long as you make a low monthly payment. Depending on the type of plan you’re looking at, you’ll usually have around 12-18+ months to pay off the balance.
Found the Best Implant Dentist? Schedule a Consultation
One of the absolute best ways to find the very best dentist possible (for dental implants or not) is to visit with them in person. Giving them a “trial run” so to speak. Sometimes you’re able to tell from the moment you step foot in a dentist’s office that it’s not right for you. Other times, you get a warm fuzzy feeling from everyone from the receptionist to the assistant and know they’re “the one.”
During a dental implant consultation, you can kill two birds with one stone. One, you get to personally meet the dentist and find out if they’re someone you want to work with. Is their demeanor on par with your expectations? Do they give you the attention you deserve? And two, you can ask for a printed treatment plan that outlines all of the procedures and costs involved in their recommended route of care.
Most dental insurance companies will even pay for a second opinion if you just had an exam with a separate dentist. Why? Because they know that most people will go with the option that’s more modest both in treatment needs as well as costs. It’s a win-win for you and your insurance carrier alike.
And the best part, consultations are just that. They don’t lock you into anything. You’re there for the basic information and if you want to move forward, you can.
There’s another integral part of your implant consultation: finding out if you qualify. Since not every person is a candidate for implants, most dentists want to briefly screen potential patients first to help them set reasonable goals. Your consultation is essential to the dentist’s office as well. You don’t have to feel bad asking for what might otherwise seem like an out-of-the-way office visit.
Visit Our Raleigh Best Implant Dentist
Raleigh Dental Arts offers comprehensive dental implant therapy for adults of all ages. Dental implants are the best way to replace your missing teeth. Find out if we’re the best dentist for you! Contact us today to reserve your appointment
