dental implant failure Archives - Dr. Duane Delaune's Blog

Why Did Three of My Dental Implants Fall Out?

Posted on June 13, 2021 by writeradmin.

I had six dental implants placed a few weeks ago and I’ve already had three fall out. I’ve paid 3/4 of the fee already. Should I get a partial refund? Is it possible for me to get them again because they were supposed to secure a denture to them.

Leigh

Dear Leigh,

You absolutely should have a refund, and not just on the ones that have already fallen out. I think you need a complete refund. I don’t know what your dentist did without examining you, but you need to get to a different dentist as soon as possible for an evaluation. Most experienced implant dentists will have around a 95% success rate. Those that do fail, won’t often do so until much later down the line. Your dentist has a 50% success rate and the failure was in just a few weeks.

There are a few reasons that dental implants can fail and we need to nail down what was the cause of your implant failure. This will give you an idea of how to proceed. If you are in good general health, you can most likely still get dental implants. Though, because of the failed implants, you will need a bone grafting procedure.

Here are some reasons that dental implants can fail:

Infection. I don’t think this is your issue. It is often accompanied by pain and/or fever.
Diagnostic shortcuts. This means the dentist did not take adequate diagnostic x-rays to determine whether or not you had sufficient bone support to retain your dental implants.
Cheap implant fixtures. Some dentists, in an effort to increase profits, will purchase their implant fixtures from outside the United States, where standards might not be as high.
Incorrect placement of the implant. This can occur because the dentist is unskilled or careless, but it can also occur if the dentist did not get the right x-rays done.
Premature Crown Placement. A dental implant has to integrate with the surrounding bone tissue in order to securely retain the implant.

As I mentioned before you need to find out what went wrong. Dental implants are not adequately taught in dental school. In order to really develop the skills necessary, a dentist must invest in post-doctoral training specifically in the implant procedure. Before going to get your second opinion, make sure the dentist you see has that training.

This blog is brought to you by New Orleans Dentist Dr. Duane Delaune.

Help! My Dental Implants are Falling Out.

Posted on May 31, 2021 by writeradmin.

I had a full mouth reconstruction done a year ago and the dental implant crowns have been falling off leaving me with nothing but the screws. Now one of the implants themselves have fallen out. I’ve been trying to reach my dentist for months, but they keep blowing me off. Now I learn he’s actually fled the country. Is there any way I can get some teeth now?

Liz

Dear Liz,

I am sorry for what you are being put through. It seems your dentist was a crook. I think he or she knows they are in trouble as they fled. I wonder how many other victims there are. It will be hard to recoup your money unless he comes back to the country. I can, however, tell you how to get the smile you want.

You made a good choice in getting dental implants. They are the best tooth replacement. I hope you actually needed a full-mouth reconstruction and that wasn’t just another part of his unethical behavior. Either way, you need one now. To be frank, this is one of the most advanced procedures. Unfortunately, this procedure is not taught in dental school. In order for a dentist to get the training to do this properly, it will require a dentist who invested in a significant amount of post-doctoral treatment, specifically in three areas:

Cosmetics – to ensure your smile looks beautiful
Dental Implants – for obvious reasons
TMJ and occlusion – to make certain they know you your teeth should meet with proper occlusion.

I know that is a tall order. Start with the the cosmetic training. I would not look for the cheapest dentist. That usually means they cut corners in order to keep profits up. That is the last thing you need. Look for someone listed on the mynewsmile.com website. Any dentist listed there has had their technical training as well as their artistry evaluated. They cannot just pay to be listed. Next look at their implant training. Dentists with implant training often have TMJ training as well because proper occlusion is necessary for a good outcome with dental implants. For instance, Dr. Delaune did implantology training with the Zimmer Institute, but he also invested in advanced TMJ training with the renowned Dawson Academy.

Please don’t be surprised if they mention you need a bone grafting procedure to get these implants done correctly. Your implants will probably have to be removed, if more of them haven’t failed by then. When that happens, you lose some bone structure. In order for your dental implants to remain secure, you will need that bone support. In fact, it is imperative that bone integrates with the implants for a successful case.

Following these guidelines, you should receive an amazing smile you will be proud to share that will serve you well for many years to come.

This blog is brought to you by New Orleans Dentist Dr. Duane Delaune.

Dentist Placed a Dental Implant Knowing it Would Fail

Posted on December 3, 2020 by writeradmin.

I need some advice. I went to see a dentist who said he’s placed a lot of dental implants. I trusted him and now feel like I’ve been taken advantage of. When he “finished” my implant surgery, he told me that he realized I didn’t have enough bone structure and now he wants to know if I would like him to take out the dental implant and give me a dental bridge. Why would he place the implant knowing I didn’t have enough bone for it to work? Can he do this?

Andrew

Dear Andrew,

I’m not sure how your dentist thinks he can get away with this. It is negligence at best. Let’s say that he didn’t know you didn’t have enough bone support before he started the surgery. Why didn’t he? Did he not do the appropriate diagnostics? Did you have a CT scan? If he did, does he not know how to interpret the diagnostics? Or worse, he knew and did the surgery anyway.

You can easily get a refund for this. He knew the procedure would fail and didn’t inform you. Instead, he placed a doomed dental implant. However, now you still have a missing tooth that needs to be replaced.

If you still want a dental implant for your tooth replacement that is possible. However, you will have to deal with the bone issue. There is a bone grafting procedure you can have done that will build back up the missing bone. Once you have healed from that you can move forward with the implant procedure.

Obviously, you will want a better implant dentist. I want you to look at Dr. Delaune’s bio to get an idea of the type of training you want your dentist to have. I’m not talking about his dental school. Instead, look at all his post-doctoral training. This is important. Dental implants are an advanced procedure that isn’t adequately taught in dental school. It requires significant post-doctoral training to really know what you’re doing.

Then, there is the cosmetic factor. You didn’t mention where the tooth was located that you are replacing. Is it a front tooth? If so, you will want an expert cosmetic dentist as well. This way it will perfectly match the adjacent teeth. With a back tooth that will not matter as much, so you could focus on the implant training alone.

For a front tooth, you’ll want implant and cosmetic training. For the latter, I’d look for an AACD dentist. These are the top cosmetic dentists in the country.

This blog is brought to you by New Orleans Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Duane Deluane.

Titanium or Zirconia Dental Implants

Posted on July 31, 2020 by writeradmin.

I have a titanium dental implant but recently read that there is evidence metal, including mercury, in dental work can cause neurological problems. I’m about to get a new dental implant and I am trying to find a dentist willing to give me zirconia type. It’s proving to be a tad difficult to find one. My question though is when I do find one should I also replace the old implant?

Olivia

Dear Olivia,

I’m not sure where you read that metal in your body can cause neurological ill effects. Do you happen to have the link to the article? I would be surprised if it was from a medical journal. If you think about it your body naturally has metals in it that are necessary for your survival. One example is the iron in your blood. When someone is low on iron it has massive repercussions and they have to take supplements to stay healthy.

That being said, if you really want metal-free implants you will be able to find a dentist willing to provide them. The main reason why most dentists still prefer standard titanium implants is simply a matter of data. We have been using dental implants for decades now and have a lot of research and results on the safety and longevity of the procedure.

The zirconia implants haven’t been around as long. As a result, we don’t have any long term studies on them to show how they hold up over the years. It may turn out they are just as stable with an equally long or maybe even longer lifespan. We just have to wait until they’ve been around long enough to know.

Should You Exchange Your Dental Implants?

While there isn’t a problem with getting your new implant from a different material. I can’t recommend switching out your current dental implant. It is too much of a risk. First, when you remove your dental implant, it will take bone structure with it. That bone is necessary to keep the implant secure. Without it, you will experience dental implant failure.

In order to replace your current dental implant, you will now have to build back up the bone in your jaw. In order to do that, you will need an additional surgical procedure known as bone grafting. If that is successful, then you will again have dental implant surgery. Both the bone grafting and the implant could fail. If you have a successful dental implant now, I can’t think of a good reason to risk it.

It is your choice, of course. I just wanted to make sure you understood the risks.

This blog is brought to you by New Orleans Dentist Dr. Duane Delaune. We are a mercury-free dental office.

Bone Grafting for Dental Implant Didn’t Work

Posted on June 30, 2020 by writeradmin.

I have a dentist who has done many dental implants over the years, so I felt fairly confident he could do mine. When he went in the first time, he decided I needed to have some bone grafting done for the dental implant to have the best chance. So, we decided to go ahead with that. After I had time to heal, we went ahead to do the dental implant procedure a second time. Again, there wasn’t enough bone. He’s suggesting I get a dental bridge. I really had my heart set on getting a dental implant. Is a bridge my only option at this point? Should I go to a specialist?

Dan

Dear Dan,

The good news here is you have a dentist who is trying to expand their skills. Most dentists don’t even bother learning bone grafting and just tell their patients they have to get a different procedure. Your dentist, in contrast, is trying to keep up with all the advancements in his field. The bad news is your dentist is currently new at the procedure, so it didn’t work as expected.

Before I move on, I’d like to praise your dentist for another aspect of his practice. He’s honest. Some dentists would have had too much pride to admit their procedure didn’t work. They’d put the implant in there. A year later, or even sooner, you’d experience dental implant failure without having any idea it was because your dentist placed an implant where there wasn’t enough bone.

Unfortunately, implantology isn’t a recognized specialty. That means you won’t really be able to look up dental implant specialists and have any realistic expectation they have the necessary training. What I’d like you to do is take a look at Dr. Delaune’s training and qualifications. This is what you want from a dentist who is going to work on your dental implants.

At this point, you have two choices: You can start over with another dentist who has the right qualifications and experience. It will mean another round of bone grafting, time for healing, and then a dental implant procedure. I’m sure your dentist will be willing to give you at least a partial refund. It sounded like a dental implant was important enough to you that you’ll be willing to go through it one more time. If you’re weary of surgery, then getting a dental bridge is your next best option.

This blog is brought to you by New Orleans Dentist Dr. Duane Delaune.

dental implant perforated my sinus cavity

Posted on June 22, 2019 by writeradmin.

I’m a little concerned about some things. I was several months into my “healing period” from my dental implant being placed when the dentist removed it. He said it wasn’t integrating with the bone and the implant perforated my sinus by a few millimeters. He gave me flonase and instructions not to blow my nose, etc. Then we’ll try again after a while. Is this okay or will the same thing happen again?

Miranda

Dear Miranda,

I’m a little concerned by some things I’m hearing. While it may seem a matter of semantics, the dental implant didn’t perforate your sinus cavity, your dentist did. Plus, he did it by several millimeters which by dental standards is quite a bit.

When your dentist was doing the diagnostics for this procedure, did he take any three-dimentional x-rays, such as a CT scan? This is a necessary step to prevent sinus perforation.

Additionally, the implant didn’t integrate with the bone. This is a nother cause of concern. Yes, it should have been removed, but before you go forward, I’d like to know what your current dentist will do to prevent this from happening again before moving forward.

When a Dental Implant Fails

In order to move forward, you are going to need to make sure the sinus cavity is properly healed. After that, you’ll need some bone grafting done. Without that, there is not enough bone there to inegrate with your implant.

I’d like you to get a second opinion on this situation to see what another implant dentist says.

From there, you can either go with the other dentist to replace this or you can get assurances from the second dentist with specifics as to how he’ll take steps to prevent another perforation.

If he was planning on replacing the implant without any bone grafting, I suggest you find another dentist completely. Make sure the new dentist has specific training in dental implants. Dental school isn’t enough. It needs to be post-doctoral work.

Cosmetic Consideration with Dental Implants

Whatever color the implant crown is made will be permanent. If you are happy with the color of your smile, then you are good to go. However, if you have contemplated whitening your teeth, you’ll want to get the teeth whitening done before having the porcelain crown made.

This will save you money while allowing your smile to match from the beginning. The other option is to whiten your teeth later, but then you will have to redo the crown to match the newer, white color of your teeth.

This blog is brought to you by New Orleans Dentist Dr. Duane Delaune.

Dental Implants in Mexico

Posted on October 8, 2018 by writeradmin.

Why are dental implants so much cheaper in Mexico than in the United States?

Brent

Dear Brent,

Good question. Many people complain about dental costs in the United States. In fact, there is a whole dental tourism industry. Much of the higher cost is due to regulations. However, most of those regulations are there for the protection of the patients. Let’s use Mexico as an example.

There are no laws regarding sanitation or the quality of the implants. It’s completely up to the dentist as to whether or not they sanitize their equipment between patients or even at all. Plus, the patient has no recourse if the procedure goes horribly wrong.

For instance, let’s say a dentist doesn’t sanitize his equipment and the patient develops a horrible infection as a result and loses half of his jaw. In the United States, they would be shut down. Additionally, they’d have to pay compensation to the patient.

When it comes to the implant itself. Ones from the United States cost several hundred dollars because of quality control. However, you can purchase implants from outside the U.S. for just a few dollars. They’re much more likely to fail or even break.

However, getting quality dental implants can be made more affordable.

Finding Affordable Dental Implants

One thing that helps with paying for dental implants is finding a dentist who will let you pay for it in stages. Almost every dentist allows you to break up the cost of the surgery and the implant crown. However, you could also ask your dentist to allow you to break up each of those two large payments into monthly payments.

If they’re unwilling, you could try applying for Care Credit. They’re a medical credit card which allows you to have low and even no-interest payments depending on your credit. There’s also no penalty for early pay off if you come into some money and no longer want the payments hanging over you.

Just don’t make the mistake of thinking cheap dental implants are the same as affordable. Your safest course of action is to find an experienced and skilled implant dentist and breaking up the cost.

Teeth Whitening with Dental Implants

If you’re having a dental implant placed in a visible part of your smile, you may want to consider having your teeth whitened ahead of time. Once the implant crown is made, the color is permanent. If you whiten your teeth afterward, the color of the implant will not change.

This blog is brought to you by New Orleans Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Duane Delaune.