It is common to see frequent advertisements about dental implants: cheap implants, teeth in one day, specially designed implants, and mini implants, as well as ads about dentists that purportedly have specific implant credentials, all of which are basically misleading the public. To complicate matters further, advertisements are claiming that implant “super” centers in major cities across the country are the leaders in implant dentistry with state-of-the-art facilities that have everything necessary to provide new replacement teeth in just one day, including financing.
For patients considering dental implants, it is difficult to determine which information is accurate and unfortunately, many patients have had negative experiences as a result of being misinformed. Therefore, it is important for patients to understand the facts about some of the pervasive marketing myths, including the four most common:
Myth: Bargain Implant Treatment Is Quality Treatment.
The truth is that you get what you pay for in implant dentistry. In order to provide low cost treatment, it is necessary to cut corners somewhere, either in the quality of the actual implants and components, the dental laboratory that fabricates the replacement teeth, or even the diagnosis and treatment protocols. All too often, people who opt for bargain implant treatment end up having the treatment redone to correct problems resulting from cost cutting, so in the long run, it is often more expensive to have cheap implant treatment.
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Myth: “Experts” in Implant Dentistry Have Special Credentials.
Although there are implant training programs that provide certificates of completion, there is no specialty in implant dentistry and therefore, there are no specific implant credentials recognized by the American Dental Association. In addition, none of the implant training programs providing these certificates, promoted as specialized credentials, offer the extensive training provided in residency programs for ADA recognized specialists.
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Myth: Implant “Super” Centers Are the Leaders in Implant Dentistry
One particular national chain of implant centers claims to be the leaders in implant dentistry, with more experience than any other practice in the country providing dental implant treatment. This claim is actually based on the volume of dental implants placed and restored in all of their centers combined. The truth is that the some of the doctors in these centers are very experienced and some are less experienced than their colleagues in private practice. It is important to keep in mind that the advertising claims are intended to sell the services provided by the implant centers.
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Myth: All-on-4 Implants Is the Best Method of Complete Tooth Replacement.
Numerous advertisements are promoting affordable dental implant treatment to replace teeth in one day with only four implants. “All-on-4” can be a good option for patients who are missing all of their upper or lower teeth if they have adequate bone to support a full arch of teeth with only four implants. However, it is important to understand that not everyone is a candidate for this procedure in spite of what the advertising claims state. The best way for patients to determine if All-on-4 Implants is the best treatment option is for their unique situation is to consult with a specialist with expertise in complete tooth replacement.
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