Why Don't General Dentists Place More Implants?

We came across a captivating article in the August issue of Dentistry Today by Dr. Louis Malcmacher titled, Why Don't General Dentists Place More Implants? What caught our attention was the structure of his article in meeting the common objections practitioners face when offering this compentency in the office. One of the main misconceptions he addresses is the thought that having a computed tomography (CT) scan or a cone beam (CB) system is a neccessity in order to be able to place implants.

"Hear me and hear me well: Despite what you see in many dental journals that describe implant cases, a CT scan or a CB is a necessity in some implant cases, but certainly not in all or even most implant cases, especially when you are doing a single-unit dental implant in an area that has sufficient bone and very few worrisome anatomical structures around the area where you are going to place the implant. I am a big proponent of CB units in dentistry, but they have to be used judiciously, and one has to weigh the risks/benefits of their use. While CB may be nice to have in every case, don’t let anyone tell you that it is absolutely essential for simple implant cases (which will be the bulk of the cases you will first be doing)", Dr Louis Malmacher, Why Don't General Dentists Place More Implants, Dentistry Today, August 2013

Dr. Malcmacher also notes that roughly 80% of implant cases are single unit, which does affirm his point of having a minimal need for CT/CBCT in those more simplistic placements.

Digital panoramic radiography can play a signifcant diagnostic role in any practice, including implant cases and at a price point far less than 3D imaging.

To read the full online article click here.