General Practitioner, Periodontist or Oral Surgeon: Which is Best for Implants?

Dental patients who are faced with the often confusing task of deciding who they would like to perform implant surgery are in an unenviable position. Is a specialist more qualified or better equipped to handle the rigors of implant surgery or does the general practitioner with advanced knowledge of the patient’s problem represent the best chance for success? Does training and the number of surgeries performed make a difference? Most importantly, how can a patient determine the best course of action without an objective opinion?
The reality of the situation is that few people feel comfortable even asking their general practitioner for their experience and/or qualifications. It’s a difficult subject to broach, which is why ethics is such an important part of the profession. Since dentistry doesn’t follow the same protocol as other health care professions where areas of specialization are more clearly defined and referrals are commonplace, patients have little to rely on aside from the honesty of their general practitioner.
For most, that’s more than enough. There are many general practitioners with proper training in implant surgery who are comfortable performing less complicated procedures and just as comfortable recommending a specialist when the need arises. Unfortunately, there are also more than a few general practitioners who would tackle any implant surgery based solely on the weekend training they’ve received, training often initiated, sponsored and provided by companies who manufacture implants.
The same can be said for the other side of the coin as well. There are many oral surgeons who offer the same implant with little regard for patient particulars based on their own preferences. Some fail to account for the functional aspect of the implant, the prosthetic tooth to which the surgical fixture is attached. In modern implant dentistry, this is as much responsible for implant failure as the surgery itself.
Though it may not be the most palatable option, patients can always opt for more than one opinion. Even an out-of-pocket visit to another general practitioner is more cost effective than making the wrong decision based on bad information. The question is whether another opinion is likely to yield either confirmation of the original assessment or point out the deficiencies of it as well as whether another recommendation can account for another’s general practitioner’s experience or training. In the end, it can’t, which is where trust comes into play.
If you trust your general practitioner to make the best recommendation possible, there must be a reason for that trust and you are probably in more than capable hands. If not, perhaps it’s time to find a new dentist.

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