A Case of Dental Implant Incompetence

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I had to have a tooth replaced. I really wanted a dental implant. At first I thought everything went okay, but soon the implant felt a bit loose. I went to see my dentist who did the implant and he did an x-ray. He told me that the implant was fine and it was probably just the crown that was loose. He said that would be a simple fix. When he went to take off the dental crown, it was a bit stuck. He got a special tool in order to aide getting it out, but I think it helped too much because he ended up removing the the entire unit, both the crown as well as the dental implant. Now he wants to do a dental bridge. Is it still possible for me to do a dental implant?

Chris

Dear Chris,

I’m going to say right off the bat that this was incredible incompetence on the part of your dentist. When the dental crown did not come off, he should have realized that it wasn’t the problem. There would have been no need for any special tool. When a dental crown is loose, it will often fall out without any assitance. Unless your dentist is just a complete incompetent at his job, I worry that he was just going to recement on this crown in order to cover up that the dental implant was loose, which has much broader implications, whereas a loose crown is a simple fix on his part.

Reasons for Dental Implant Failure

There are a ton of reasons why dental implant failure can happen. One of the top is incorrect placement by the dentist or oral surgeon. It is always ideal if the dentist can do the surgery themselves, however, that is not always possible. If you see an oral surgeon, make certain it is the dentist that determins the placement of the dental implants and not the surgeon.

If your implant came loose shortly after the placement of the dental implant, it is possible that the issue is premature loading of the dental crown. That means that it was placed before there was time for the bone to fully integrate with the dental implant and secure it. It is also possible there was inadequate bone support to begin with. A good implant dentist will do a series of diagnostics to ensure you have plenty of bone structure.

Infection is another big issue. However, that is usually accompanied by pain and possibly fever. You didn’t mention either of those, so it is less likely in your case.

Can You Still Get a Dental Implant?

Yes, you can still get a dental implant, but it is more complicated than just starting over. You will need some bone grafting done prior to starting the procedure over. I also think your dentist should pay for the entire thing, including the bone grafting. You have great leverage for that. You also do not have to do it with this dentist.

This blog is brought to you by Mt. Dora Dentist Dr. Michelle Stillman.