Confused About Why My Dental Implant Was Placed

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I recently had a dental implant placed to replace a missing tooth. I was excited about the prospect of having a permanent replacement. Here is where I am a bit frustrated. When I woke up from the surgery the dentist told me there was not really enough bone support for the dental implant once he got in there. Yet, he placed it anyway. Now he is recommending that I remove the implant and get a dental bridge because he said it is going to fail. He just doesn’t know when. Is there any chance that I can still have a dental implant? He’s also asking me to have another surgery to remove a dental implant that he knew was going to fail. Shouldn’t he refund me for the failed procedure?

Jenny

Dear Jenny,

For a dental implant to succeed it will need adequate bone structure to support it. So, the one thing your dentist was right about is the likelihood of failure. It is the rest of his actions that puzzle me. First, he should have done adequate diagnostics to know that there was not enough bone there to begin with. Did he not do those?

However, let’s say that he did do them and somehow the problem was hidden. Once he got in there and realized there was not enough bone support, there was zero reason for him to place the dental implant. He knew it was going to fail. The better course of action would have been to just close you up and explain the circumstances when you woke up. Instead, he has greatly complicated things.

I would call what he has done dental malpractice. So, yes, you should definitely be able to get your money back. If he gives you any slack about that, you could always let him know that you are happy to see a lawyer. I feel confident you will not only win but get damages. However, I always prefer giving people a chance to make things right.

Can You Still Get a Dental Implant?

Yes, it is still possible for you to get a dental implant to replace your tooth. However, you will need an additional procedure first. Because of the importance of bone support and the fact that the implant is going to be removed, taking even more bone with it, you will need to build that bone back up. This can be done with a bone grafting procedure.

Once that has healed, you can then proceed to get the dental implant you want. That being said, for obvious reasons I would not do it with this dentist. Instead, look for someone with more expertise (and integrity) when it comes to dental implants. This will require someone who has invested in post-doctoral training in dental implants. Dental school alone is not enough.

This blog is brought to you by Arnold, MD Dentist Dr. Meredith Esposito.