Dental implants are a great investment for any dental practice. Implants have greater than a 90% success rate and can greatly improve the quality of life for your patients.
These two characteristics of dental implants make them popular amongst dental patients who are increasingly asking for them.
It would be a mistake for a dental office to not provide this offering to its patients.
There is no doubt that dental implants are a necessary service but one crucial step is determining which dental implant system is right for your patients and dental office.
There are numerous companies that manufacture dental implants and each claim that the size, shape, texture and materials used in their implants are superior.
When determining which dental implant system to select, you must not rely simply on cost and budget. Dental implant companies with pricier products will claim superior quality and materials. However, more expensive implants don’t necessarily equate to better implants. After all, implants have a particularly high success rate, making them the best solution for the vast majority of one’s patients.
Besides costs, there are size and shape dental implant companies will try to confuse dentists with. There now tapered implants, implants with different threads, 3mm implants and 5 mm implants, implants with different textures and contours. Virtually all dental implant companies will have implants made from titanium.
Since any type of dental implant system will greatly benefit many of your patients, it is important to do your research of each company’s products.
When researching companies, be sure to examine the type of titanium alloy that is used in the implants, the availability of various implant widths and lengths as well as materials. Look to see if the selected implants have been sufficiently studied and found to be dependable and efficient. Ask around for input and recommendations from fellow implant dentists. Examine the history and reputation of the dental implant company.
Most of this information can be found on each company’s website. If there is information that is missing or you’re not clear on, call the company and speak to one of their customer service representatives.
A company that is trustworthy and have products that have been proven to be effective, safe, durable and efficient, is a great place to start.
After you’ve narrowed down your choices, it is a good idea to meet face-to-face with each company’s sales representative. He or she will be able to tell you the availability of their different implants. You want a company that has an adequate inventory of a variety of implant widths and lengths and which has a great quality control system in place.
It is important that the company has great and timely customer service. The implant company needs to demonstrate fast and easy ordering and shipping of implants. After all you don’t want to run out of a particular implant at your office and have the patient wait for weeks for your office to get a new inventory of implants.
The meeting with the sales representative will also provide an opportunity to establish a report with the salesperson who will likely be your go-to customer support contact at the company should you choose their dental implant system.
Be wary of the salesperson who seems aloof, overly sales-like, unprofessional and has an inadequate amount of knowledge of the dental industry, the role of implants, how implants work and how they can benefit your patients. A good salesperson will be professional, knowledgeable, personable and aiming to establish a positive, long-term relationship with your dental office.
Your dental office should not rely on one dental supplies manufacturer. Don’t limit your selection of implant system to a brand that your office has already gets equipment and supplies from. It’s becoming more common to have one primary implant system and a secondary or even a tertiary implant systems for those unique, exceptional patient cases.
If you’re new to implant dentistry and have not yet offered implants to your patients, it’s a good idea to educate yourself first before shopping around for an implant system.
Dental associations including the American Academy of Implant Dentistry have seminars and educational conventions where you can learn about the nuances of implant dentistry, network and get mentored by veteran implant dentists.
Other educational opportunities include online seminars and courses through Arrowhead Dental Laboratory. Our new dentist CE program is geared to help new dentists and their offices to succeed and provide enhanced service to their patients.
For more information about Arrowhead’s new dentist CE course or any of our seminars, contact us today.