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Implantologist
Last reviewed: 03.07.2025

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An implantologist is a doctor who replaces lost organs with “piecemeal” ones. In the modern world, the term “implantologist” is most often understood as an expert who practices dentistry. This is probably the only doctor who can be said to give a smile. But this is really true. It is the implantologist who can restore lost teeth and return you the ability to smile openly and without embarrassment.
Modern methods allow the implantologist to perform the procedure of dental restoration with minimal surgical intervention and minimal inconvenience for patients.
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Who is an implantologist?
An implantologist is a doctor who restores lost teeth. The restoration occurs due to the fact that an implant is inserted into the jaw. This is an artificial replacement for a lost tooth.
The work of an implantologist is very important. Because the absence of teeth has not only a cosmetic and aesthetic significance. The fact is that each tooth has its own purpose and the absence of at least one of them can have a very negative effect on the entire body. For example, the absence of chewing teeth can affect the chewing of food, which will worsen the condition of the food that enters the esophagus. As a result, problems with the digestive system, as well as various diseases of the stomach, pancreas and other digestive organs can arise. The absence of canines or biting teeth can also have the same effect on the body.
That is why the work of an implantologist is very important for the health of each of us. The implantation process itself is very difficult and requires a careful approach. It is necessary to approach both the choice of an implantologist and the choice of the implantation method responsibly. Also, before deciding on such a procedure, it is worth undergoing all the necessary examinations and conducting the necessary tests.
When should you see an implantologist?
First of all, your dentist can refer you to an implantologist if necessary. You should contact such a specialist when there is a defect in the dental row. For example, a tooth is missing or there is a need to remove it.
You can contact an implantologist not only immediately after tooth extraction, but also after some time. For example, if you lost a tooth several years ago. True, bone grafting may be needed to install implants. That is, bone tissue build-up. The fact is that the bone tissue in the place where the tooth is missing can decrease over time. And when the question arises about installing a tooth, or rather an implant, it simply will not have anything to “fix” to. The implantologist performs a simple operation called “sinus lift”, and then installs the implant on the built-up bone.
A visit to an implantologist is also possible when there is a need for aesthetic correction of the appearance of the dental row, when other methods, for example, installing a brace system, do not give the desired result. Then it is possible to remove one or several teeth and install implants in their place.
What tests should be taken when visiting an implantologist?
Dental implantation is a very serious procedure and requires a very careful approach. For the implant to take root, the body must have a strong immune system. The implantologist is obliged to send the patient for a number of tests. In particular, tests for HIV and hepatitis. These diseases can not only affect the engraftment of the implant, but also have a negative impact on health. Such surgical intervention can even put the patient's life at risk. But it also puts the health of the doctor and other patients at risk.
The patient must also confirm the absence of diabetes. Since this disease can also prevent engraftment. The implantologist must find out what other diseases the patient has that can prevent wound healing. That is why, in addition to standard tests, the doctor must conduct a thorough survey of the patient, and also pay attention to the condition of not only the gums, but also the general condition of the patient's skin, the presence of bruises and wounds. If they do not heal well, it is possible that the implants will not engraft well either.
Modern medicine has made great strides forward and many clinics have stopped requiring patients to take many tests. Therefore, if you feel insecure, you should worry about taking tests yourself, after all, knowledge about your health will never hurt.
By the way, smoking may be a contraindication to implant installation. The fact is that some experts are sure that smokers have poor implant acceptance, and in general, they tolerate surgery worse.
What diagnostic methods does the implantologist use?
Usually, the implantologist will examine the oral cavity or refer the patient to a regular dentist. Before implantation, the doctor may prescribe the patient to undergo a complete oral sanitation.
This is necessary to completely remove all possible inflammations and other sources of infection from the oral cavity. This procedure includes caries treatment, tooth extraction if it is impossible to save them, as well as treatment of gums and periosteal tissues.
Such procedures are necessary to avoid any complications or infections during surgery. If this procedure is not performed, there may be problems with the implant engraftment, as well as with the postoperative period.
Also, to perform the operation, the doctor prescribes an X-ray and a panoramic image of the jaw to check the condition of the bone mass. The fact is that sometimes there may not be enough bone tissue for normal installation of the implant. If there is not enough bone tissue, the doctor may prescribe an additional operation to implant bone tissue, which will ensure the normal installation of your "new teeth".
What does an implantologist do?
An implantologist is a specialist who examines the condition of the oral cavity, as well as the condition of the dentition, and recommends a particular treatment to the patient or prescribes implantation.
The expert conducts a thorough examination and studies possible contraindications to implantation. The implantologist is also responsible for consulting patients. The doctor is obliged to explain all the risks, as well as the advantages of the chosen method of replacing missing teeth.
After the patient agrees to the procedure, the doctor prepares the patient for the operation and performs the implantation itself. The implantation process is quite simple: if the jaw bone is normal and can withstand the implant, the doctor screws a special implant into it, which is more like a regular screw. The two-stage process forces the doctor to suture the gum to give the implant time to take root. This process can take quite a long time - from 6 to 20 weeks. Then, when the implant has taken root, the implantologist installs a special mount, on which the crown we are accustomed to is then placed. In appearance, such a tooth is absolutely indistinguishable from other teeth in the dentition. By the way, one of the main advantages of implantology is that this method allows not only to return teeth, but also not to harm healthy teeth, and also to completely restore the dentition in the absence of many teeth.
What diseases does an implantologist treat?
An implantologist deals with dental defects. The help of an implantologist is resorted to in extreme cases, when the tooth cannot be saved. Or there are other indications for tooth extraction.
The implantologist also helps patients when they have intolerance to prostheses. Then implantation is the only way out of the situation.
Sometimes implantation is prescribed when it is impossible to install a prosthesis or crown. This situation occurs when the outermost teeth in a row are missing. With such indicators, problems with prosthetics arise and implantation is practically the only solution to this problem.
An implantologist can also help patients who have no teeth at all. Then several implants are installed in the jaw and a bridge or prosthesis is fixed to them. This procedure completely restores the teeth and returns normal life to patients. Implantation allows you to smile without fear for your smile.
You can also contact an implantologist if you have one missing tooth. And in some cases, aesthetic restoration of several teeth is possible if there are indications for it.
Advice from an implantologist
The first and most important advice of any implantologist is to monitor the condition of your teeth and visit the dentist regularly. As a result of the correct approach to dental treatment, problems with their removal may not arise. And you will not need to contact an implantologist and worry about the installation of implants.
Having assessed the condition of the dental row, the implantologist can advise the patient to install implants or another way to put the dental row in order. The fact is that the absence of even one tooth can seriously harm the entire dental row. Bone tissue, not feeling the load, will decrease, and the teeth adjacent to the missing one will shift. Therefore, implantologists advise not to delay in choosing what to replace the tooth with, so that in the future there is no need to resort to orthodontics.
Also, the absence of teeth can cause not only aesthetic defects, but also problems with digestion of food, which in turn can lead to the development of chronic diseases.
Implantologists advise not to be afraid of this procedure and to at least go to a consultation with a doctor you trust. Many patients do not dare to undergo such a procedure because of the price. But now there are many groups of implants, so it is possible to choose a material that suits you in quality and price.
In any case, the implantologist will be able to help you decide and choose the treatment method that is right for you.