AF it is my belief that implants should be made available to the majority of our patients who would benefit from them and that this will only happen when they are introduced as routine treatment available at every high street dental practice. In the US even the lowest level of dental insurance covers patients for a lower full denture supported by 2 implants: they no longer recognise unsupported full lower dentures as ‘appropriate treatment’.
AF it is my belief that implants should be made available to the majority of our patients who would benefit from them and that this will only happen when they are introduced as routine treatment available at every high street dental practice. In the US even the lowest level of dental insurance covers patients for a lower full denture supported by 2 implants: they no longer recognise unsupported full lower dentures as ‘appropriate treatment’.
Sadly here in the UK, due to patients’ expectation that ‘it should all be available on the nhs’ and some dentists’ telling all their patients that implants are unaffordable (to who?) and excruciatingly painful, the number of implants in the general population has been kept artificially low. Demand is accelerating however as more patients become aware of this life changing treatment and less people become less and less tolerant of unsuccessful treatment like failed bridges and dentures…
The result of this is that there is now a staggering number of patients out there who would really benefit from this treatment but haven’t yet decided to take advantage of it. The confusion among patients (and some dentists) is made worse by the sheer number of websites/implant companies and – yes – implant dentists like me out there touting for business.
a
Pent up demand
Old people are getting younger
The reputation for dentures is such that you are now designated as old if your teeth are in a glass =
instant old age
Implants are better
Implant dentists are better
Implants are affordable
Skills are around to teach younger dentists ñ apply for the mentor program
The perception is that implants are painful and horrible, are changing
Digital Planning and modern techniques, especially immediate loading
Immediate loading is now accepted ñ most people are doing it wrong, poor quality acrylic only,
prosthetics
The failure rate of implants is highly affected by the prosthetics you choose ñ the durablity is massively
important
Donít give your implant a chance to fail ñ choose wisely,
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