The minefield of implant dentistry Post date: 22/08/2017 | Time to read article: 2 mins The information within this article was correct at the time of publishing. Last updated 14/11/2018 Oral Surgery Riskwise How to steer clear of avoidable problems. In general, there are three approaches to achieve a safe passage through any minefield. The first is to find out exactly where all the mines are located before you start, and then to carefully plan a safe route – and stick to it. The second is to take your time, proceed with extreme caution in small, measured stages and not take any step before knowing for sure that the ground upon which you will be placing your foot is safe. The third (which we do not recommend) is to ignore signs, keep moving and not ask for directions. Members in the latter group will probably not be reading this article in the first place, but for members in the other two groups it will hopefully serve as a checklist, so that they have a better understanding of the potential pitfalls, and can thereby avoid becoming part of the worrying recent claims statistics arising from implant dentistry. Before you start Get proper training Don’t overestimate (or over-state) your competence The tools for the job Check you have the right protection Getting Started Sharing care - when more than one clinician is involved Case assessment and treatment planning Spend time validating consent The Prosthodontic Stage Follow Up and Monitoring Maintenance Keep your eye on the ball Summary Meticulous records Stay up to date « Claims Shared decisions » Share this article Share Tweet