Dos and don'ts for implant success: Restore more implants

Too many dentists restore only a few implants each year. As the baby boomer generation continues to age, implants represent one of the best opportunities for practice growth. Dentists should be doing everything they can to make implants a primary focus of their practice.

Perform an annual implant evaluation. Every patient should receive a yearly comprehensive exam that includes a focus on implants. Patients should be educated about the many benefits implants have, especially compared with other services, such as dentures, partials, and bridges. Implants represent the closest thing to natural teeth. That's the message every patient needs to hear because almost everyone will need this treatment -- if not today, then sometime in the future.

Don't be discouraged if patients aren't initially interested. Implants are a new concept for many patients. You will have to continually reinforce the many advantages of implants, including natural fit, no slipping or soreness, improved facial appearance, prevention of bone loss, etc. Think about it this way: No one makes a major purchase without learning about and evaluating that product. Only by reinforcing the benefits of implants will patients feel comfortable accepting treatment.