tooth replacement options 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.

16 Year Old with a Baby Tooth

Posted on April 30, 2021 by writeradmin.

I have a baby lateral incisor still, even though I am sixteen years old. I would like to replace it so I can have a “grown-up” tooth. Can I replace it with a dental implant? I am planning on having my senior pictures taken in the fall. I’d like to have something that looks nice.

Candace

Dear Candace,

A dental implant is a great tooth replacement option. However, before you do that, two things need to be in place. First, you will want to make sure that you do not have an adult tooth under your gums that is impacted. If you do, a dental implant will not work because there will be no place to put it. The tooth root will be in the way. Instead, you will need to work with your dentist to open the gum and direct the tooth into its proper position. This may require some orthodontics, but if you get on it quickly, you shouldn’t have any trouble getting some beautiful senior pictures.

If, however, you are dealing with a congenitally missing tooth, then it will definitely need to be replaced. While a dental implant is the best tooth-replacement option, you will need to wait until your jaw is completely developed. This will be in your early twenties. Until then, you will not need to go without a tooth there. After you have the baby tooth extracted, I would suggest a temporary tooth replacement, such as a dental flipper.

Finding the Right Implant Dentist

Once it is time to get that dental implant, you want to be careful about who does it. This is the leading area for dental malpractice suits. This is because too many inexperienced (or worse, untrained) dentists do this procedure with horrible consequences for the patient. There are a couple of things you will want to look for in the dentist you choose.

First, their dental implant training. Dental school is not enough. Ask them what type of post-doctoral training they have in the dental implant procedure. If they are offended by that question, it means they don’t have the training and you need to seek a dentist elsewhere. Secondly, you will want to ask them their success rate. It needs to be no lower than 95%. While there will always be some cases that fail, due to no fault of either the dentist or patient, when done by an experienced and skilled dentist most will succeed.

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

root canal problems

Posted on January 27, 2020 by writeradmin.

I had a root canal treatment for an infected tooth. After I finished treatment, my dentist gave me a prescription for penicillin. A week later I was still in pain. He wrote me a prescription for Vicodin and said if it still hurt after another week he’d give me a different antibiotic. I don’t think I can wait that long. Plus, the Vicodin makes me feel weird. What do you recommend?

Barry

Dear Barry,

man grabbing the side of his jaw in pain

Your dentist is missing the boat here. First, the antibiotic prescription. While penicillin can work, it wouldn’t be my first choice after a root canal treatment. Instead, I’d try a stronger antibiotic such as clindamycin.

Second, the amount of time he’s waiting to get you on the correct antibiotic is way too long. You should have been feeling better after a couple of days and he wants you to wait over two weeks! No.

There’s a good likelihood you still have a dental infection because something was missed here. You don’t want the infection to spread any more than it already has.

Where to Go From Here

I think you need to see a root canal specialist and have this re-treated. When you call the office, let them know what is going on so they can get you on the right antibiotic.

To give you realistic expectations here, a root canal re-treatment is usually successful only in 50-75% of the time.

If it turns out, the re-treatment doesn’t work, you may need to extract the tooth in order to get rid of the infection. If that happens, you’ll want to discuss your tooth replacement options with your dentist. If you want the top of the line replacement, then getting a dental implant is the best bet. Your next best option is a dental bridge. However, it does require crowning the two adjacent teeth.

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

can I get a beautiful smile after 3o years of Dentures?

Posted on August 24, 2019 by writeradmin.

I’ve had dentures for about thirty years. Back then, I don’t think dental implants were available. If they were, my dentist should have told me about them. I have a friend who has them and her smile looks so much better than mine. I’d love to get a beautiful smile now if that is possible.

I’m going to give you the great news first and then tell you how to make it come to pass. You can absolutely get a beautiful smile again. I’m going to tell you something which may sadden you, but I want you to understand it for the smile you’re going to get with dental implants.

You could have had a beautiful smile with dentures as well. The beauty of the smile doesn’t depend on whether you have crowns for dental implants or dentures. What makes the biggest difference is the artistic skill of the dentist.

Implants After Dentures

When your teeth are removed, your body recognizes that and begins to resorb the minerals in your jawbone in order to be as efficient as possible with your body’s resources.

This has the unfortunate effect of slowly shrinking your jawbone. This is known as facial collapse. Eventually, there won’t be enough jawbone left for you to retain your dentures at all, leaving you a denture cripple.

This creates a problem for dental implants too. As you can see from the image above, when an implant is placed, it requires the bone in your jawbone to integrate with it in order to retain the implant securely.

After 30 years, you will probably require a bone grafting procedure in order to have enough bone to secure them. This is an outpatient procedure. Then, when you’ve had time to heal, it will be time to get your implants then.

Getting a Beautiful Smile

As I mentioned above, getting a beautiful smile requires a skilled, artistic dentist. My suggestion is for you to look on the mynewsmile.com website. This is run by an accredited cosmetic dentist. He screens each dentist who wants to be listed on their site for both technical knowledge and training, as well as an artistic eye and hand. Any one of them can give you a gorgeous smile.

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

When a Tooth is Knocked Out

Posted on October 25, 2018 by writeradmin.

I was at the playground and saw a boy who was hit in the mouth and lost a tooth as a result. His mother just tossed it because it was a baby tooth, but it got me to wondering. What would I do if it was an adult tooth?

Melissa

Dear Melissa,

a hockey player with a knocked out tooth

Whenever a tooth is knocked out, it’s a dental emergency whether it’s a baby tooth or an adult tooth. Even though the baby tooth doesn’t need to be saved the dentist needs to check the pulp of their tooth to make sure no damage was done which will affect the adult tooth underneath.

With an adult tooth, it’s even more serious. You have about 30 minutes to try and save the tooth. Call your dentist right away and let them know what happened. They’ll be available and ready as soon as you get there.

If you don’t have a dentist, you can do an internet search for an emergency dentist. These are general dentists who will see non-established patients in cases like yours. Again, let them know you’re trying to save a tooth so they’ll be prepared. Time is of the essence.

You’ll only want to handle the tooth by the crown (the part which is visible when you smile). Try never to touch the root. Additionally, you’ll want to keep it moist. If you can, put it in a glass of milk. If that’s not available, you can just place it between your gums and your cheek.

If Your Tooth Can’t be Saved

There are times when a tooth can be saved. In that case, you’ll have options for your replacement. Ideally, you’d want a dental implant. That’s almost like having a natural tooth. However, if it’s a teenager or child you’re talking about an implant isn’t possible. Their jaw has to be finished growing.

After a dental implant, the next best option is a dental bridge. This suspends a false tooth between two crowns. There are other options as well if neither of those work for you such as a removable partial denture or a dental flipper. A flipper is only meant to be temporary though, while you are waiting for a better replacement.

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