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Gross Dental Implant Incompetence

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I am not sure where to go from here and need some advice. I had a dental implant placed. It felt like the crown was loose so I went to see my dentist. He said the crown was loose and needed to be re-cemented. When he tried to take the crown off he had a bit of trouble. His next step was to use a special tool, but when he got the crown off the dental implant came with it. What do I do now?

Phylicia

Dear Phylicia,

Three stages of a dental implant

Can you get a dental implant while on Fosamax?

I hate to be the one to tell you this, but your dentist is completely incompetent. First, if a dental crown is loose, it is incredibly easy to remove them. Most often, they fall off of their own accord. What was actually loose was your dental implant. If your dentist wasn’t incompetent then he was incredibly dishonest. Neither scenario bodes well for you as his patient.

Some Reasons for Loose Dental Implants

If the implant came loose right after the dental crown was placed, then it means the crown was placed prematurely. Before you can place an implant crown there has to be sufficient osseointegration. Without that, the crown will pull the implant loose. Another option is there wasn’t enough bone support to begin with. Doing implants requires substantial diagnostics. A dentist should determine how healthy the bone structure is. Then, if there isn’t enough, suggest bone grafting to make sure you have the best chance of a successful outcome.

Some implants fail because of an infection. You didn’t mention either pain or a fever. In most cases of infection, one or both of those would be present.

Fixing a Failed Dental Implant

The first thing you need to do is demand the dentist who botched this so badly pay to get it fixed by a dentist you choose. That is important. Fixing this involves more than your original procedure, so just getting a refund will not be enough. You also want it to be a dentist you choose, so you can make sure they have the expertise to do this right.

It will require significant post-doctoral training. For instance, Dr. Weiss trained at the esteemed Dawson Academy. He’s also an instructor at the Academy of Osseointegration. This is what you want to look for. Not only that, he’san AACD accredited dentist which means he can create a beautiful crown.

I’m sorry this happened to you. Hopefully, this can be rectified soon.

This blog is brought to you by Philadelphia Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Michael Weiss.

Replacing a Front Tooth While on Fosamax

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I had to replace a tooth adjacent to my right front tooth. Right now I have a dental flipper and absolutely hate it. I wanted a dental implant but my dentist said that’s not possible because I take Fosamax. I suggested a dental bridge and he doesn’t want to do that either because it will crown the adjacent teeth which he says are fine. That’s true, but I want to get rid of this flipper. Would an Encore Bridge be an option?

Bruce

Dear Bruce,

Three stages of a dental implant

Can you get a dental implant while on Fosamax?

It is possible to get a dental implant while on Fosamax. Your dentist’s concern has to do with the increased risk of local bone problems when having oral surgery. While the risk is small, the complications are serious. Don’t minimize the risk. One possibility is to temporarily suspend taking Fosamax, under the cooperation of your physician who should oversee this.

If you decide against getting a dental implant, a dental bridge is fine, and a better permanent option for you than a dental flipper. That being said, let your dentist pick the type of bridge. You definitely don’t want to be the first patient he or she has done an Encore Bridge on. Some dentists are your basic bread and butter dentists who can only do the “standard” work. That brings up an important point about your dental implant.

Who Should Place Your Dental Implant?

The concern your dentist mentioned is legitimate, however you should be aware that sometimes a dentist will steer you away from a procedure because they aren’t comfortable or qualified to do it. They don’t want a patient to lose confidence in them so instead they come up with reasons to discourage that particular procedure.

You don’t want to push a dentist into a procedure they are not comfortable doing. This usually ends in disaster.

Dental implants are an advanced procedure. You’re in a high-risk group, so it makes it even more important you have an experienced, qualified dentist to do it for you. Look at Dr. Weiss’ qualifications to get an idea of what type of dentist you are looking for.

Another consideration is cosmetic. You’re talking about matching a single crown to your front teeth. You want someone with the cosmetic skill to make it blend both beautifully and naturally. The best cosmetic dentists are accredited by the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry.

In your place, I’d look for an AACD accredited dentist who has a high success rate in dental implants.

This blog is brought to you by Philadelphia Dentist Dr. Michael Weiss.