Eileen,
I can’t really tell, just from what you’re telling me, what the problem is with the dental implants, but there is a significant problem. There are a number of potential sources of pain when you have dental implants. They can be pressing on a nerve, they can be under too much stress, they can be too small, they can be placed in the wrong position, or they might have peri-implantitis or some other type of infection around them. And while sometimes you can have pain just from the implants, when teeth are placed on them that increases the stress and it can cause pain.

There is post-operative pain right after you’ve had the implants placed, but that goes away within a week or two. I’m assuming that you are past that point and that your dentist has given these dental implants the recommended three or four months of healing time before putting any stress on them.

I would recommend getting a second opinion from another implant dentist. Look for a dentist with credentials from either the International Congress of Oral Implantologists or the American Academy of Implant Dentistry. They award Fellowship and Diplomate status to dentists who demonstrate strong knowledge and clinical skills in the field of dental implants.

This blog sponsored by Phoenix implant dentist Dr. Arthur Chal.

Cyndi K. From Alabama

Cyndi,

It is common to put two teeth to an implant, but more than that and you begin to strain the root too much. I think you could get away with just doing two implants to replace all four of your teeth and them still be stable.

I hesitate to quote you a cost, because each dentist charges differently. Though, I would caution you against going with the cheapest dentist. There are many implant horror stories that have happened to people who just went with the least expensive dentist they could find.

This blog is brought to you by Phoenix Implant Dentist Dr. Arthur Chal.

Thanks in advance,

Leslie T. – Missouri

Leslie,

With as many teeth as you are missing, I would definitely get dental implants, if at all possible. You may not be aware that when your teeth are missing, your body starts reabsorbing the jawbone where the roots are gone. After about 10-20 years, you more than likely will not have enough jawbone left to wear your dentures.  Dental implants prevent that by having a root form placed into your jawbone, which signals to your body that they bone is needed. The downside is they are more expensive initially than dentures.

On a side note, pregnancy isn’t a reason for pulling teeth. Unless there are extenuating circumstances I’m not aware of, you may consider looking for a dentist who believes in doing everything possible to save your teeth, before resorting to pull them.

This blog is brought to you by Phoenix Implant Dentist Dr. Arthur Chal.

Candice-Washington

Candice,

Part of the problem with that is the dentists who are really good at dental implants put all their cases into their portfolio, so they don’t need to do a free case. You do have options though.  You could find a dentist who understand your financial situation and is willing to space out the treatments so you have time to save up for the procedures. If that is not possible, you can look into removable partial dentures. I know they are not ideal, but many people use them and they work fine. This could even be a temporary measure until you can afford the best option.

Beware of just looking for the cheapest implant dentist. There are many implant horror stories that you should read to help you understand it is better to wait and go to a more experienced and qualified dentist.

This blog is brought to you by Phoenix Implant Dentist Dr. Arthur Chal.

Blair- Mississippi

Blair,

I can’t tell you the exact reason your insurance company won’t cover your implant. I can tell you that many dental insurance companies prefer to pay only for the least expensive procedure. For instance, instead of getting a dental implant, you could get a removable partial denture. Those are only a couple of hundred dollars.

You have another option as well. Because it is a lower second molar, you could get a crown put on the adjacent tooth and have it made long enough to touch the upper molar so that it doesn’t drift.

This blog is brought to you by Phoenix Implant Dentist Dr. Chal.

My dentist gave me a second antibiotic and sent me to the oral surgeon. He cleaned out the area, but ended up having to do some bone grafting in order to save my implant. That took an additional 8 months to heal. Now, just four months after that I’m getting pus pockets, another infection, and the crown is loose again. My dentist said I must not be caring for them properly, but believe me, I am. Do you have any suggestions? I’m at my wits end, and many thousands of dollars poorer.

Katie S.- Tulsa

Katie,

I’m very sorry for your experience. What you are going through is known as dental implant failure, and is more common than people realize. The fact that he was prescribing you antibiotics, instead of realizing it was implant failure and replacing it, tells me that he doesn’t have a great understanding of this field of dentistry. There are many causes for implant failure, but often it is because of poor technique on the part of the dentist or surgeon. You may not realize that implant dentistry is an unregulated area. Any general dentist can take a course or two and call themselves an implant dentist. In reality, it takes a substantial amount of post graduate study to be able to be a successful implant dentist.

My advice is to find an implant dentist with the right type of dental implant credentials, such as being a Fellow of theInternational Congress of Oral Implantologists, and have the implants completely replaced. If you keep using this same dentist, you’re going to keep getting the same results.

This blog is brought to you by Phoenix Implant Dentist, Dr. Arthur Chal.

Our understanding is that Clear Choice did square with him and did refund his money or paid him something as compensation.

If you have an experience you’d like to share, please see our Clear Choice Reviews page.

This blog is sponsored by Phoenix implant dentist Dr. Arthur Chal.

Jeffery- Pennsylvania

Jeffrey,

As long as you are in good general health, you are more than likely a candidate for bone grafting. Though, Dr. Chal can sometimes work around certain health issues. Other dentists, equally qualified, may be able to as well. I wouldn’t recommend going to your family dentist for your implants. Implant dentistry is not a recognized specialty, so any dentist can say they’re capable of doing implants, without having the much needed training.

There are many dental implant horror stories that can attest to this fact. To protect yourself, you’ll want to look for an implant dentist with impeccable qualifications. At minimum, you want to see significant implant training credentials as well as a membership in a respected implant association, such as the International College of Implantology. To get an idea of what kind of dentist you want to find in your area, take a peek at Dr. Chal’s Implant dentist qualifications.

This blog is brought to you by Arizona Implant Dentist Dr. Arthur Chal.

Percy- Florida

Percy,

When you have missing teeth, there are several options:

1. A removable partial denture: This is usually the least expensive method. It clips on to your other teeth and can be taken out. This isn’t my favorite option. It will be obvious there is something foreign in your mouth, and though they can be made well, it will never be as comfortable as your other options. I recommend it as a temporary tooth replacement option.

2. A bridge:   When you are missing four teeth, you’ll have to anchor it to four healthy teeth, so you  will end up  needing an eight unit bridge. With this size unit, there will be a lot of stress on them. Your canine tooth is the one with the longest root, because that tooth has to take a lot of stress due to its position. With your canine missing, the other teeth will have to take that stress. It could shorten the lives of those teeth. There is one other thing to consider with a bridge. If something goes wrong with one of the teeth in the unit, it is likely the whole unit will have to be replaced.

3. Dental implants: If you were only having one tooth replaced, I would likely recommend the bridge. Because you are talking about four teeth, I think dental implants are your best option.  With implants,  titanium screws are surgically placed into your jawbone and then prosthetic teeth are attached to them on the gum. It is the closest to having your natural teeth back. You want to be careful who places your implants. There are many implant horror stories done by unqualified dentists. Any general dentist is allowed to place implants. However, it takes a lot of post-graduate work, to be qualified to do them well. Look for someone with credentials like Dr. Arthur Chal.

This blog is brought to you by Arizona Implant Dentist Dr. Arthur Chal.

I regret the decision SO much that I am looking for another cosmetic dentist to find out if I have any options. Five months in and I have become extremely depressed over this. There isn’t a moment of the day that I am not aware that this foreign thing is in my mouth. They were very nice to me. They explained all the other options and I signed a statement saying so. I was very enthusiastic when they said that they would be like “my own teeth”. They explained that I would not be able to eat solid foods for 6 months when the temporaries would be replaced by permanent. They said I’d get used to the “feel” in a month or two. When they showed me a sample of the teeth, they were mounted on an artificial gum and palate. When I asked if MY teeth would be on “that” (pointing to the palate) they said no, it was only there to show the teeth. I asked this several times, so I thought the teeth alone would be screwed into the posts. I was shocked when they pull out my set of teeth mounted on a gum looking bridge and put it over my own gum. Now I salivate and slobber all the time. I have that “slurppy / juicey” sound that old people have when their dentures are slipping. The saliva gets tacky and slimey and I feel I can’t wipe it off my lips. As far as achieving goals above — my problem with protruding upper lip is worse because of the thickness of the prosthetic. Sometimes when I smile, my upper lip rolls up over it and disappears into that space over the thick fake gum. Instead of teeth that go straight down, these tilt at a sharp angle into my mouth. I had specifically said I did not want that! Instead of each front tooth itself shaped like a tooth, it curves around like a hook so that the upper edge fits into the prosthetic, but the lower half touches the lower teeth. I don’t think it will prevent my biting myself after the last four molars are put in They told me after my first month check up that I must water-pick and floss under the fake gum twice a day or risk gum disease. It takes 1 hour minimum to floss because it’s so hard to get the floss chord up under there. I hate this thing. It was not what I was promised. I wish I could find a way out. It has made my self-image so much worst.

- Julie from Virginia

Julie,
Sorry to hear you had a bad experience. I think the best way to avoid the problems you had is to have a dentist who knows you personally and is willing to address all your personal issues. A clinic like Clear Choice is not conducive to solving the kinds of issues you have, though I think their dentists are generally quite skilled.

This blog sponsored by Phoenix implant dentist Dr. Arthur Chal.

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