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.
Most of my dental implant patients are wearing a complete maxillary denture
and a mandibular implant retained overdenture. I charge them the same
fee that I charge for a routine prophy. I schedule a recall every 4
months. What are you doing? Are you bringing them back in every 4
months for routine implant maintenance? How are you getting them back in for maintenance? Thanks for your suggestions.
I encourage my implant patients to be maintained every 3-4 months and offer lifetime radiographs for free. Educate the importance using evidence based dentristy to support your concerns and that usually takes you out of the self serving loop. Good Luck
During the implant screening appointment, I explain to the patient that implants are just like your natural teeth and require routine monitoring for possible bone loss and inflammation. Especially since there is no nerve, the patient would be unaware of small, reversible problems that left undiagnosed over a longer period of time could cause implant failure. Since implants function just like a tooth, protect your investment and renewed smile with regular check-ups. Most patients appreciate my genuine concern for their well-being and will not jeapordize their greatly improved quality of Life.