The role of the restorative dentist in the diagnosis and maintenance phases of implant therapy--Part III: The restoration and maintenance of oral health prior to the provision of the implant prosthesis.

Establishing and maintaining the patient's oral health prior to provision of the definitive implant restoration is the responsibility of the restorative dentist and is an important aspect of comprehensive treatment. The additional time and expense required to provide oral hygiene and conventional dental treatment needs to be acknowledged by the implant team and the patient. An anticipated three to five treatment hours are often required to provide maintenance and hygiene care, with additional time needed to provide individualized conventional dental treatment to each patient. The provision of implant therapy is a rewarding experience when all aspects of treatment are properly planned and competently performed. The general practitioner is the logical resource to provide much of the necessary treatment that is directly and indirectly related to the provision of implant restorative dentistry.