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Thank you for contacting us and I’m sorry to hear about your situation.
It sounds like your dentist has been very reactive since you started to have problems with your implants and not really helping you make the best long-term decision. If there is bone loss on one of the 2 remaining implants that holds the bridge after the middle one has already fallen out, does it make sense that simply replacing them will do the trick? Not to me it doesn’t. Having the implants replaced AFTER getting a bone graft to increase the amount of bone in the area might work, but in general has an 85-90% success rate vs a 95% success rate for an implant in healthy bone.
Now, the fact that your implants lasted 9 years says to me that when they were initially put in, you had enough bone density at the time to hold the implants. Yes, in a perfect world implants would last the rest of your life and they often do last for 25+ years if they are properly cared for. However, there is no lifetime guarantee because there are many external factors that can affect the success on an implant that are out of a dentists control such as:
- Nutrition/diet
- Dental hygiene
- Genetics
- Diseases
- Age
- Lifestyle (eg. smoking)
And yes, it could definitely be due to your right side being overloaded since you don’t have any teeth on the lower left side. That said, your dentist probably should have advised you that the missing teeth could cause a problem and suggested that you get an implant or bridge to fill in the gap.
While I don’t think that your dentist is responsible for the failure of your 2 implants, I would hope that they would have the decency to provide future dental work on the failed area at a reduced price since it was their work that failed and you’ve been their patient for a long time. At the end of the day, your dentist’s responsibility depends on what it says in your agreement.
AdminKeymasterThank you very much for taking the time to leave comments on our site. You bring up some excellent points that are definitely worth discussing.
I’m actually finishing up a detailed article on the procedure, healing time and aftercare that will cover some topics that the website is currently lacking. Yes, standard practice has been (and still is for most clinics) to put the implants in using a 2 or 3 stage process allowing 3-6 months for osseointegration before attaching the abutments/crowns and loading the implants.
However, in recent years, research has demonstrated that in certain situations, dentists can immediately load implants either the same day or shortly after they have been placed. One study tried to find out if there is a difference in success rates between immediately and early loaded implants compared with conventionally loaded implants. It found no evidence that attaching artificial teeth either immediately, after 6 weeks (early) or after at least 3 months (conventional) led to any important differences in the failure of the implant or the artificial tooth, or to the amount of bone which surrounded the implant. That said, even single implants in solid bone should have a period of no-load to minimize the risk of initial failure.
I’m not an expert when it comes to dental tourism, but I’m learning a lot from visitors and commenters who have gotten dental implants done abroad. I’m in the process of interviewing several people who traveled to Egypt, India and Mexico to get dental implants in order to collect information about their experiences and share it with visitors to the website. All of the information I get will be compiled into an article about “Dental Implant Tourism”. I am actually going to add several of your questions to the list that I use during interviews so I can get answers to them straight from patients’ mouths.
I definitely agree with you that it’s just as (or more) important to consider the quality of the treatment instead of making decisions based on the cost alone. That’s where this article comes in handy: https://www.dentalimplantcostguide.com/finding-a-good-dentist/ That said, the cost of implants in North America is prohibitive for many people looking for long term solutions to their dental problems, so they are willing to take a chance on a cheaper alternative.
I think it’s important to note that the quality of treatment overseas isn’t inherently worse. I believe that there are clinics abroad that are just as good as some of the highest quality professionals in North America and at the same time, there are inexperienced and careless dentists in North America who are worse than the lower quality clinics abroad. I advise everyone who is looking to get implants to do their research and ask a lot of questions as finding the right dentist has biggest impact on the probability of success.
Failure can be caused by number of factors https://www.dentalimplantcostguide.com/problems/, most of which become evident less than a few months after the procedure is completed. Success is primarily dependent on the dentist’s skill, quality and quantity of the bone available at the site, the patient’s oral hygiene, and the most important factor is primary implant stability.
Long term failures are due to either loss of bone around the tooth and/or gums due to peri-implantitis or a mechanical failure of the implant. While large-scale, long-term studies are scarce, several systematic reviews estimate the long-term (five to ten years) survival of dental implants at 93-98% percent depending on their use. Simply put, if your implant has lasted 5 years, it will likely continue to work (unless you take a blow to the face).
So, as long as similar (quality) procedures and materials are being used and the dentist determines that your jaw is healthy enough, it all comes down to the experience and talent of the dentist.
The cost depends on the country you go to, but I think you’d be surprised by how cheap the cost of living is. Some clinics even offer free accommodation at a local hotel or other perks to entice medical tourists even more. The process typically involves 2 trips: one to have implants done and temporary crowns put on and the second one 4-6 months later for checkup/testing and the permanent crowns. In some cases, everything is done in a single 2-3 week stay. But you’re right that traveling abroad is typically more cost effective for people who need a lot of work done.
I just published an interview I did with an Austrialian woman who had a bunch of work done in India that you might be interested in: https://www.dentalimplantcostguide.com/india/ She goes into a lot of detail regarding the costs she incurred during her trip.
I hope this helps!
AdminKeymasterHi Bobby,
Thanks for taking the time to join the forum.
Based on the estimated price that Clear Choice gave you, I assume that you need to replace all of your teeth with implants? Did they suggest an all-on-4 procedure or putting in an implant for each tooth? Did they say that a bone graft would be required? I would need more information before I can say whether or not $45,000 is a good price, but it does seem a bit on the high side.
A few ways you should look into in order to find cheaper dental implants can be found here: https://www.dentalimplantcostguide.com/low-cost-options/
Once you’ve explored those options, I suggest you find the 3-5 highest rated dentists in Denver (not counting Clear Choice) who offer dental implants and book a free consultation with them to see what they’re like and to get an estimate. Be sure to read through our guide on how to find a dentist you can trust here. I’m not familiar with any dentists in Colorado, but from a quick search it looks like Vantage, Redfearn, Denver Dentistry and Barotz all have favorable reviews. Be sure to ask them a few of the questions from the finding a dentist guide.
I know it might sound like a lot of work, but when you’re going to invest so much time and money into a procedure like dental implants, it’s worth taking the time to investigate a number of clinics to make sure you’ve found the one that works best for you – both financially and how they treat their patients.
Another option I suggest you look into is getting the work done at the Dental Faculty Practice at the School of Dental Medicine on University of Colorado’s Anschutz Medical Campus. According to their website, “The fees at the school are heavily discounted in exchange for the additional amount of time necessary for students to provide treatment and the patient’s scheduling flexibility”. For more information, check out their FAQ page.
Good luck! And please write back here to update us on your progress/experience.
AdminKeymasterWelcome to the forum Andrea, and thanks for introducing yourself!
There are many people here on the forum who would love to hear your thoughts and advice. The following are a few of question-based threads that you could help answer by adding your 2 cents:
How to find implants for a reasonable price
Dentist added an implant that was not discussed before the surgery
Do dental implants feel like real teeth?
Thank you in advance for your contributions! I see that you’ve already posted a link to your clinic, which is great! From now on though, please add a link on your personal profile page instead of at the bottom of every post you write. 🙂
AdminKeymasterHi Dr Samy, thanks for joining the forum and introducing yourself!
Thank you for sharing the approximate cost of a crown and implant at your clinic. We have limited pricing data for Egypt at the moment so it isn’t even listed in our dental implant cost by country table. Thanks to your contribution, we’re one step closer to adding it!
If I receive any inquiries from people who are interested in getting implants done abroad to save money – more specifically those interested in Egypt, I will be sure to refer them to this thread so that you can answer their questions.
To learn more about Dr. Samy and getting an implant in Egypt, check out this interview: http://www.dentalimplantcostguide.com/dr-samy-aboelyazied-egypt/
Cheers,
AlexAdminKeymasterHi Alisha, thanks for joining the forum! I see you have already replied to some other people’s questions, so thank you for your contributions.
If you have any questions of your own, please feel free to add them. 🙂
January 16, 2014 at 1:41 am in reply to: Dentist Made Me Pay for an Implant that Wasn’t Part of the Plan #336AdminKeymasterHi Barbara, thank you for sharing your experience and I am sorry to hear that your dentist was so dishonest. You’re right that it’s extremely important to be careful when choosing a dentist, especially for a big procedure like implants.
Would you like to anonymously say where you got the implants done and who the dentist was who made you pay more money for an implant you didn’t agree to? Sharing these details would be a huge help to other people who visit the Dental Implant Cost Guide and reporting incidents like yours also helps hold dentists accountable!
For people who don’t know how to find a dentist that they can trust, check out our guide to learn what questions to ask and what to look for.
AdminKeymasterHi Harris,
Welcome and thanks for joining the forum!
Now that you’ve introduced yourself, a great way to promote your practice and your services is to answer questions that people have asked here on the forums.
There are a number of good questions that need answering such as why an implant crown costs more than a regular crown, what to do if you can’t afford implants and dentures won’t work either because your upper pallet is irregularly shaped or how to overcome your fear of the dentist.
In return, you’ll be able to show off your wealth of knowledge, get a lot of exposure and you’ll also get a link to your website in return!
Welcome once again and we hope to hear from you soon!
AdminKeymasterHey Steve,
Based on our data, two implants would probably cost you around $7000, while a traditional fixed 4 unit bridge would be approximately $4000. Once you find a dentist/oral surgeon you’re comfortable with, ask what you can expect in terms of cost for both options to get a better idea as prices can vary quite a bit based on a number of factors. The biggest factor is the health and amount of bone available in your upper jaw which heavily depends on how long it has been since you lost your two front teeth as the density of bone deteriorates over time when it is not stimulated. If you’ve been missing your teeth for a long time, then you would have to factor in the cost of a bone graft, which would make getting a bridge the best option in your case. Consult your dentist to see if you would need a bone graft.
I understand that money is tight, but cost shouldn’t be the only factor you consider. While bridges are cheaper in most cases, they typically require more maintenance and don’t last as long as implants (7-12 years vs. 20+ years as long as you aren’t at risk of failure and care for them properly) and they don’t feel as natural as well. A bridge would also require having the two adjacent teeth “prepared” or reshaped which is done by filing it down see the dental crown procedure. Extracting or filing down healthy teeth in order to place implants or a bridge is not a good idea unless it is the only option.
Instead of comparing the cost of a bridge vs. implant, maybe you could consider getting financing through your dentist or a company such as CareCredit or applying to a dental school program to get the procedure you’d prefer done at a more affordable/reduced cost.
For more information, check out our detailed comparison here:
https://www.dentalimplantcostguide.com/bridges-vs-implants/
- This reply was modified 6 years ago by Admin.
AdminKeymasterHi Kim,
From the sounds of it, your teeth could use a cleaning and some fluoride application by a dental hygienist to remove the yellowish color/stain. There are a number of ways to get low cost dental work done. Depending on where you live, there many be schools of dentistry who will perform dental work at a reduced rate, volunteer programs that offer free services to low income individuals and/or government programs that may cover the cost of a visit to the dentist depending on your financial and family status.As for the bad breath, you can:
- Brush your teeth more frequently throughout the day (don’t forget to brush your tongue and gums)
- Use mouthwash
- Chew gum or suck on hard candies that have a minty flavor
- Drink water. Drier mouths are more odorous.
Lastly, don’t let the color of your teeth or bad breath get in the way of following your dream of becoming a nurse. No one’s teeth are perfectly white anyway! Do your best to combat these problems as you work on becoming a nurse, but don’t let it stop you from making progress. Remember that nobody expects perfection because they aren’t perfect themselves.
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