What you don't know can hurt you (and your patients)

The goal of modern dentistry is to return patients to oral health in a predictable fashion. The partial and complete edentulous patient may be unable to recover normal function, aesthetics, comfort, or speech with a traditional removable prosthesis. The aesthetics of the edentulous patient are affected as a result of bone atrophy. Continued resorption leads to irreversible facial changes. An implant stimulates the bone and maintains its dimension in a manner similar to healthy natural teeth. As a result, the facial features are not compromised by lack of support. Implant prostheses often offer a more predictable treatment course than traditional restorations. Thus, the profession and the public are becoming increasingly aware of this dental discipline. Between 1983 and 1987 there was a tenfold increase in the number of dentists placing implants and a fourfold increase in the number of implants inserted. Manufacturers' sales have increased from a few million dollars to more than $200 million. Almost every professional journal and lay publication now carries advertisements for implants. Implant dentistry has finally been accepted by organized dentistry. All US dental schools now teach some awareness of implant dentistry. The current trend to expand the use of implant dentistry will continue until every restorative practice uses this modality for abutment support of both fixed and removable prostheses. Do not be the straggler and ignore the advantages of dental implants, because what your patients don't know can hurt them.