failed dental implants/very unhappy with dentist.

[Kitt77]

Hi,
     I took out a huge loan to have four dental implants done in 2007.  I didn't like the way that they looked but they seemed to be functioning well and they were my back lower teeth.  In May of this year one of the implants fell out within a three day period.  I called my dentist and came in for an appointment.  He told me that I needed to wait for three months and He would do the procedure again.  While waiting another of his implants came out and after examining it the top of the crown had a slight chip and it was totally connected to the titanium screw.  He still hasn't called me and He seemed not so interested in helping me.  He wanted me to pay for more xrays and told me that possibly my bite was off.  I don't understand and I'm heartbroken.  I am still paying for this expensive procedure and can't afford to pay for more xrays.  I think that this work should be guaranteed. I don't want Him to work on my mouth anymore.  What would be my options here. I don't want to go to a lawyer but I don't like the way I was pushed aside.  He's a very pleasant Man but didn't do a great job with the implants.  I know that He has taken courses in this type of dentistry but hasn't done many implants.  I didn't know this at the time.  Now He has taken to doing botox along with everything else and I'm a little scarred to go back there.  Please advise me.  Thanks

[Ryley2013]

It's been over three years with one implant failing after the other with my dentist in Van.  Apparently its my fault.  Just came back fromn him today (my 35 visit in 3.5 years), and he tells me two of the six are loose (again) and that I need more work done. Pretty upsetting.  Who is your dentist?

[davidinvan]

I am suing my implant dentist in Vancouver BC.
Anyone else ?
David

[RDH03]

Hey Kitt...I would prob. consult with a lawyer just to see what options you have, but did you sign any consent form before this tx. was performed? If so, what did the consent form say? Did you get a copy of it? Some dentists don't do consent forms, but a majority of them do. A consent form pretty much covers the dentists butt! You could also call the state dental board and put in a complaint. You never know, there might be other complaints such as yours! I live in NC and I know that the NC dental board has a website where you can see if the dentist is in good standing. If the dentist isn't, it is public information and you can call the board and find out why. I would def. contact the board for their opinion as well. Good luck! Don't give up because if you only knew exactly how much profit that dentist is making off of those implants..it would make you even more mad. DON'T GIVE UP!!!!

[foofoo99]

Periodontist are as good as oral surgeons,  in my opinion as a general dentist,  when it comes to implants.

[kayla276]

ust wanted to add to my watch list, I am curious as to what he will do regarding your implants.  I am scared to have one done let alone 4.  

A periodontist is doing mine, I hope I'm wondering now if I should have gone to an oral surgeon to have it done, the prosthodontist sent me to a periodontist and the periodontist did  the bone graft and is waiting 3 months now before he does the implant.

I will check out his credentials, I never really thought about it until now.   I am wondering if a periodontist does implants?

[kayla276]

Listen to Scottma, if it wasn't for him I would not have even known what a
prosthodontist was and probably would not have received the help I should have
been getting from my original dentist in the first place.

And yes it does take two, One dentist cannot specialize in everything and this is why or what I have read is why most dental procedures done that they may not be specialized in fail.     You have to go to school 4 more years than a general dentist to be a prosthodontist or a periodontist.  

[kayla276]

Plese seek legal advice for your own good. I am still going through hell with ill fitting crowns that is causing my gum tissue and underneath not to heal.  The dentist did inferior work and still wants me to pay him his 309.00 balance he feels I owe him from his inferiror work performed.    

I had no choice but to get an attorney bacuse he states the specialist who found my problem is lying.  Bottom line, when I called him and told him what a specialist had found out about the crowns, he stated to me, "They all say that!"  What a joke, he just didn't want to give my money back for his inferior work.

Good luck!!!!!

If more of us complain out there about the inferior work that is being done to patient's teeth it might stop and some dentist actually might have to start stepping up to the plate and do satisfactory excellent work for patients instead of trying to wing it like my dentist did.  

[kayla276]

BBB will do nothing in Ohio for anyone if it is a dental issue, I don't know what state or country you are from your state or country might, but I doubt it.    

I ended up getting a lawyer regading my issue.

I don't know what your statute of limitations are for your state either, mine was one year.

You better get legal adivce, that is the way I use to be also, never wanted to get an attorney for anything.  Well, some times it pays if the dentist is acting the way he is.

Go to AVVO.com and ask a lawyer there about your situation.

read my info also of what I went through,  I went through the dental society in my county, they wouldn't do anything because I had already notified the Ohio State Dental Board, I also notified my Better Business Burau and they stated that it is a legal issue, that they did not take issues regarding the competency of doctors, dentists, licensed therapist, or vetaranarians.  They will handle billing disputes that do not involve underlying competency issues.   They told me to contact the my State Dental Board.

but then when I contacted the Ohio State dental board, after they investigated it, they told me to notify my county dental society who would do nothing because I had already notified the Ohio State Dental Board.   the Dental boards do not get your money back for you.    

Best advice  seek legal advice from a lawyer.  AVVO.com/legal    

[mammo]

Regardless of "why" this happened, it happened.  Your dentist is responsible for making it right!  If this were 10-20 years afterwards, maybe not.  Don't accept the shabby workmanship of this dentist and get the results you deserve.

[lynn117]

actually this procedure takes two dental professionals like scottma stated. the oral surgeon places the implant (the part that screws into the bone) while a prosthodontist places the crown a regular dentist can sometimes do this part if experienced enough. most oral surgeons will not do both stages of this procedure.

[mammo]

You truly do not need to see all these different doctors.  This is a specialized field, and the ones that are specialized in this are quite capable of doing it all.  If there is too much bone loss, then again, this dentist was negligent in not knowing or telling you this.

[scottma]

There are many factors contributing to implant failure.Cininician's competency is certainly one of them, but not always. In the field medicine,no single treatment modality is 100% successful for everyone.
Surgical skill of implant placement is not highly technique demanding, if bone volume is sufficient. However, restoration part is technique sensitive. If you wish to achieve optimal result, probably the best way is to have implant placement done by oral surgeon or implantologist, and restoration done by prosthodontist.

[mammo]

Forgot to mention, that very few dentists are qualified to do implants, and he may be one of them.  Check out his credentials.

[mammo]

Start by filing a complaint with your Better Business Bureau, he will have to respond to them, or he will get a derogatory mark with them.  But this will usually make him do something.  If not, contact your Attorney General's office with your problem. If nothing is resolved by this time (and I think it will) contact the ADA and report him and his poor treatment of you, and his less than perfect work!