I had a dental implant placed. I thought everything went okay. However, (you knew there would be a however, didn’t you?) A few weeks after the dental crown was placed, it started to feel loose. I called my dentist and he had me come in. He said the dental implant was fine and I likely just had a loose dental crown. When he went to take off the dental crown in order to re-bond it, the crown became stuck. He used a special tooth in order to help it get off but when it did come off, the entire dental implant came with it. He said we can re-do it but I kind of want to know what went wrong first. Have you heard of this happening before?
Toni
Dear Toni,
I am having a hard time wrapping my head around the amount of incompetence required for this to happen. If the dental crown was loose, it would have had zero trouble coming out. Instead, it would have just come immediately off. Once it didn’t he should have known right away the crown wasn’t the problem. Did he even bother doing x-rays?
The problem was your dental implant. My guess is your dentist knew fixing a dental crown was much easier than fixing a loose dental implant and he was in denial. There are a few reasons a dental implant can become loose.
The Dental Crown was Placed on Prematurely
It is important, in order for a dental implant to remain secure, that there is adequate time for the bone to integrate with the dental implant. This is a process known as osseointegration. If a dental crown is placed before that, then the weight on the dental crown will cause it to become loose.
An Infection Can Derail a Dental Implant
With any surgery, there is a risk of infection. Sometimes a dentist can do everything right and an infection develops. Everyone’s body responds differently.
Insubstantial Implant
Implants come in different sizes and can even be made with different qualities. In the United States, we have a higher standard. But, that also means they cost a little more. Some dentists will try to cut corners and save money by purchasing implants from an overseas company.
Getting Your Dental Implant Replaced
It is not as simple as just replacing the dental implant when it fails. Even if it were, I wouldn’t let this dentist anywhere near you. You need to find another, well-qualified implant dentist, to do the new implant. Ideally, you’ll use a dentist who can do the surgery andthe restoration. I want your current dentist to pay to have this repaired. You don’t just want a refund, because to get this implant replaced you’ll need another procedure called bone grafting to build back up the bone structure you’ve lost in the process.
This blog is brought to you by Des Moines Dentist Dr. Phelan Thomas.