New Patients: (833) 357-7578
Phone: (818) 248-1991
3730 Foothill Blvd, La Crescenta, CA 91214

ROBERT THEIN,
DDS, ABOI, ICOI

What the Secret to Choosing an Implant Dentist?

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I lost a tooth years ago. I want to replace it with a dental implant. I’ve spoken to two dentists. One had significantly higher prices than the other. I don’t want to choose based on price, but I also don’t want to go to the wrong dentist. How do you choose the best of two implant dentists?

Micah

Dear Micah,

Dental Implant Diagram

You are very wise. It’s smart not to price shop when it comes to health. However, the first thing I’d do is compare what they gave you quotes on. It’s possible they were talking about different services. You mentioned it had been a long time since you’d lost the tooth. That would mean you may have significant bone loss in that area, requiring bone grafting.

The more expensive dentist may have factored that in and the “cheaper” dentist just quoted you their standard dental implant charge without considering the overall needs of your case.

Picking the Best Implant Dentist

Finding the best implant dentist depends on two things. First, their training and second, their success rate. Dental implants are an extremely advanced procedure. Post-doctoral training is imperative.

Ideally, you’ll also want a dentist who can do the implant surgery as well as the crown. That leaves less opportunity for miscommunication regarding proper placement.

In your case, you’ll also want a dentist who can do the bone grafting procedure. This way you’re not being shifted between caregivers.

Look at Dr. Thein’s training credentials to get an idea of what you’re looking for in training.

This blog is brought to you by Glendale Implant Dentist Dr. Robert Thein.

Trying to Find the Best Implant Dentist

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I need to get a couple of dental implants and I want to find the best implant dentist around. I’ve heard the longer they’ve been placing them, the more likely you are to have a successful outcome. How many years should they have been placing them?

Carly

Dear Carly,

Dental Implant Diagram

It’s great that you are trying to do some research up front. You’re also on the right track about needing an experienced implant dentist. It’s not usually a matter of years as much as it is training and number of successful cases they’ve performed.

The best implant dentists will have taken a significant amount of post-doctoral training in implantology and restorative dentistry. Their percentage of successful cases should be at least 98%. Be aware that even the best implant dentists will have some failed cases.

While by far the majority will have a successful outcome, there will occasionally be a case that just fails through no fault of the patient or the dentist. It’s just how their body responded to the treatment.

Finding the Best Implant Dentist in Your Area

Look at the type of training Dr. Thein has done to get an idea of what you’re looking for if you really want the best. Fewer than one-half of 1% of dental professionals have his depth of implant training.

Be bold in asking them about their training. If they say dental school, that is definitely not enough. In fact, they’re not taught what they need in dental school. Then ask them how many cases they’ve done and what percentage of those have been successful.

As always, verify patient experiences by checking their reviews. Google Reviews and Yelp! are good places to see reviews, along with Rate my Doc.

I hope this helps you find what you’re looking for.
This blog is brought to you by La Crescenta Implant Dentist Dr. Robert Thein.