Why see a periodontist for your dental implants?

As a periodontist, I have three more years of extra training above and beyond what a General Dentist has. A general dentist has 4 years of dental school training. There is MINIMAL time spent on dental implants because it is a specialized procedure taught in either Periodontics or Oral surgery training for 3-4 years following a year of hospital based residency AND specialty school training.

General Dentist vs Periodontist

General Dentists who do implants learn the procedure on weekend courses and NOT in a specialty training program requiring literature review of thousands of peer-reviewed articles as well as a licensing examination at completion of the training as would a Periodontist.

Furthermore, as a periodontist, we have training specialized in dealing with the gums and tissues surrounding the implants so that the final surgical results are more aesthetically pleasing.

Finally, periodontists are trained to deal with all the varying complications and post-operative sequelae that could occur after implant surgery.

Would you go to your family doctor for open-heart surgery? Would you take your new Mercedes for repairs at a local no-name dealer for complicated engine work?