Discussions on Implant Practice Management

I am having a dilemma trying to restore implants placed by another dentist. Patient was unhappy with treatment with previous dentist and was referred to me by a mutual family physician.

I have zero experience in placing implants. Is there any risks in me doing the surgical guides?

I just started doing dental implants and my staff and I are having a hard time learning how to code and charge for implant placement and restoration. For example, is the cost of bone graft included in the charge for a sinus lift?

I am only doing simple implant cases. How do I best protect myself from potential lawsuits from implant surgery?

What is the best way to lead up to recommending dental implants in a treatment plan restoration?

My periodontist has told me that a recall every 3 months is the best schedule. My hygienists use plastic tipped scalers to clean the implant abutments and components.

I am in a situation where cases that I have started are ready for placement, but the patients cannot afford the 50% down payment. What do I do?

Are patients holding off on dental implant surgery due to the possibility of a recession?

We would like to assemble a list of the 10 most frequently asked questions by potential dental implant patients so we can develop the most effective answers.

In this exclusive interview, Michael Sonick, DDS, Diplomate of the American Board of Periodontology, shares his views on Implant Education, Immediate Extraction, Implant Complications, and much more. This is Part I of a two-part interview.

We took great care in creating a state-of-the-art system that simplifies the process from the ordering and scheduling of a CT scan, to the processing of the scan, to delivering the scan to the doctor. This process can usually be done the same day.

Dr. Marc Nevins is a Diplomate of the American Board of Periodontics
and is an Assistant Clinical Professor at the Harvard School of Dental
Medicine.  He maintains a private practice limited to Periodontics and
Implants in Boston.  Dr. Nevins has taken time out of his busy practice
to discuss his protocol for educating patients about dental implant treatment.

OsseoNews:  Dr. [...]

Dr. Wiggs, asks us:
Several years ago one of my patients called on the New Year Holiday weekend and said she just fractured tooth # 7 which was recently part of anterior restorations in Porcelain—-some full porcelain crowns and others porcelain laminates.  My office was closed but I told her to come in–the remaining root structure [...]

Am I right to think that a general dentist isn’t apt to handle this as well as an oral surgeon? What is the preferred way to proceed with dental implant treatment?

Edward, a dentist, asks:What procedures are recommended for getting  informed consent on the aesthetic result of the dental implant procedure?

Dr. Jeffrey Ganeles is a Board Certified Periodontist in Boca Raton, Florida and practices with the Florida Institute for Periodontics & Dental Implants. He is an Adjunct Associate Professor and Interim Director for Post-Graduate Periodontics at Nova Southeastern University College of Dental Medicine in Ft. Lauderdale. Dr. Ganeles and his team developed a computer software [...]

Dan, a dentist, asks:
I am having a hard time getting my dental implant patients to return for regularly scheduled routine maintenance of their implants. 

I have a question regarding a lower arch oral rehabilitation case that I have done 1 year ago. The patient had severe peridontally involved teeth which were all removed to be replaced with 5 dental implants.

I am going into my fourth year of dental school and am trying to figure out what direction to go after I graduate. My family dentist encouraged me to go into a specialty and he recommended endodontics.

How can I maximize case acceptance for both myself and my referring
doctors?

Dr. Henderson asks:
I am just getting into implant dentistry. Right now I am just starting
to restore dental implants and we have begun to treatment plan for dental implants on
a selective basis.

Dr. Stefan asks:
I’m interested in knowing what kind of guarantees other dentists are offering for dental implant patients.

As such, the roles of specialists, such as periodontists and oral surgeons, and the interaction between these specialists and general dentists in all phases of implant dentistry, has started to change dramatically.

Should you be giving a guarantee for the implant or the implant restoration?

The first article in a series that will cover both camera equipment and software utilized to enhance patient education and presentations.