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Implant dentistry involves careful planning and highly trained and experienced dentists. The dentist must first discuss with the patient what their goals are, and then must give the patient all of their options, expected outcome, risks and benefits. The medical and social histories of the patient are also important. Diseases that affect the immune system such as diabetes, and habits that reduce blood flow and healing such as smoking, must be identified because they can reduce the success of implant surgery.
In some cases, a computer-assisted tomography (CAT scan) is advisable to give the dentist a more accurate representation of the amount of jawbone available for dental implants. The dentist will also need a clinical examination to determine if there is enough bone width to fit an implant. If the implant is being used to replace a single tooth, there needs to be adequate room between the existing teeth so that the implant does not damage the surrounding tooth roots. If the X-ray or CAT scan reveals that there is not enough bone height to place the implant, a bone graft may be required.