What are the roles of the Implantologist, General Dentist, Oral Surgeon and Periodontist in the process of getting your new tooth?
“IMPLANTOLOGIST” is an inexact term with no universally-accepted meaning. The term can be loosely applied to any dental professional participating in some part of this kind of tooth replacement. Implantology is not a recognized dental specialty at this time. A GENERAL DENTIST is your regular dentist. He is the dentist to whom you go for your regular cleanings and check-up’s. It is usually he who sees the need for an implant-borne prosthetic tooth. He is licensed to perform any part of implantology within his skill set. The general dentist may both place and restore dental implants. Dr. Hettinger is a general dentist. An ORAL SURGEON is a dental specialist. A general dentist may refer some or all of his potential implant patients to an OS for soft or hard tissue grafting and/or the placement of the implant itself. The surgeon must refer the patient back to the restorative dentist (general dentist) for placement of the abutment and prosthetic crown. A PERIODONTIST is also a dental specia
