Finding a qualified dentist whom you can also trust is quite a tall order, and that becomes further complicated if you're looking for a professional with specialized qualifications. Dental implants are one such area of specialization where finding a practice where you feel comfortable, operated by a dentist who is trained and qualified to perform the procedure, can be a challenge. Certain steps must be taken by any dental professional before they are certified to perform implants, and even once they are you should still perform your own due diligence to ensure you're working with someone you can trust.

Essential Qualifications

Depending on the organization they received their credentials through, a dentist or oral surgeon qualified to perform implant surgeries should have at least 300 hours of postdoctoral training. In addition, they should have training and education in how various types of dental implants work, what circumstances can result in failure, and how to achieve the greatest chance at successful integration with the patient's tissues. While several certification organizations exist, avoid any dental practice without some form of credentials that reflect their experience and training with dental implants.

Certification represents the backing of a larger community, and the adherence of your dentist to their standards. It also means they didn't just learn how to place dental implants at a weekend seminar, and you'll be able to trust more in their experience. This can also mean that a dentist is more familiar with a wide variety of techniques, allowing you greater freedom to choose how your damaged or missing teeth will be replaced, rather than limiting you to a single procedure.

Ask More Questions Than You Answer

The best way to learn all you can about a subject, especially something that will have such a lasting impact on your quality of life, is to ask as many questions as possible. Start by asking about treatment options, and which approach your surgeon recommends. Make sure you also find out whether or not steps will be taken to ensure you can still eat and chew during any recovery periods.

Extensive restorations may require a temporary dental prosthesis, so find out whether or not this will be the case for you. Use of prostheses is normally only necessary during recovery periods between procedures, so make sure you also inquire about the duration of these periods. After you've been evaluated for implants, you should also ask whether or not additional procedures will need to precede your implant surgery, which will affect the length of your recovery.

If at any time during your initial evaluation you're not comfortable with your dental professional, you should feel confident enough to seek out a second opinion. Make use of a local dental surgeon database to help narrow your search and expedite the process of finding a professional you can trust.