Hello Lizzy,
I can understand why you would be concerned since losing a tooth / having a missing tooth is not a happy occasion most times. And now to follow, you are thinking about doing an implant surgery.
But rest assured, it is not as scary as it seems. The general feeling of an implant is the same level of comfort / discomfort as having a regular tooth out. And there will be numbing provided via local anesthetic.
Some clinics also provide further sedation to put patients at ease.
The reality about implant dentistry in Singapore is that whether a dentist is a specialist in gums or an oromaxillofacial surgeon or a general dentist, any of the above can place implants.
For a dentist to technically qualify to do implants, all they need to do is go for a training course conducted by the respective implant company over a period of time (depending on course syllabus) which could be a 4 part module in order to be certified at placing implants.
However, experience is an invaluable learning curve and the dentists who do more implants whether as a qualified specialist or general dentist can have comparable skills depending on the operator themselves and how difficult your case would be considered.
My advise to you would be to pick a dentist you feel you can trust, go for a consultation and if you feel more comfortable with a specialist, then either seek out a specialist directly or go through the referral of a general dentist.
I hope this helps with your dental implant journey!
Regards,
Dr Beth
