An implant dentist performs surgery on a person's mouth in order to implant devices to which an artificial tooth or bridge can be added. For example, when a person wants to have a false tooth surgically implanted in his mouth, he will usually visit an implant dentist for this procedure. In most cases, an implant dentist inserts a metal post into the patient's gum and then another type of dentist adds the part that will look like a tooth. It is important to note, however, that people who perform this type of work aren't always referred to as implant dentists. Instead, they often have the title of oral surgeon or periodontist.
When a person has a missing tooth or a number of missing teeth, he has a few basic options. He can allow the gaps in his teeth to remain or he can get a type of non-permanent denture. In some cases, however, a person may not feel comfortable with teeth he has to remove at night, bridges that move about, or dentures that don't feel as if they are a part of him. Instead, he may want a permanent implant and choose to visit an implant dentist to begin the permanent implant process.
It is important to note that an implant dentist doesn't literally implant teeth in a person's mouth. Instead, he usually implants a type of metal post beneath the gum line, using the patient's jaw to anchor it in place. The artificial tooth or bridge that will become a permanent part of the person's smile is then built onto this post. When this is done properly, a patient can have dentures, bridges, and crowns that won't move about in his mouth. Usually, implants also free a person from discomfort associated with regular dentures — they can even help keep the surrounding natural teeth healthy, as the structures are not attached to nearby teeth.
In some cases, an implant dentist is only responsible for the surgery to imbed metal posts in a person's mouth. He may do this by embedding implants in the patient's jaw or by attaching a metal device to the bone of the jaw. Usually, the gums then go through a healing process before the artificial teeth are attached. Sometimes a restorative dentist goes on to attach the artificial teeth to the posts. In other cases, however, an implant dentist may handle both the posts and the dental restoration.
