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How Do I Know Which Implant Dentures to Choose?

How Do I Know Which Implant Dentures to Choose?

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I’ve worn complete upper and lower dentures since 2003. My jawbone is shrinking, and my dentist recommends dental implants and would refer me to a periodontist for surgery. I thought about implants in the past, but now that my facial appearance is changing, I am considering them more seriously. I plan to finance the work and complete payments within two years. After researching all the options for implant dentures like the snap-on denture, all on 4, all on 6, or implants with bone grafts, I am undecided. When I looked at prices online and found some dental tourism practices in Mexico (not my preference), Portugal, and Costa Rica that charge 40-50% less than the U.S. for implant dentures. What can help me decide which implant dentures to choose? – Thank you. Julian from Tacoma, WA

Julian,

Thank you for choosing our office for your question. An implant dentist or specialist would need diagnostic studies before recommending options for stabilizing your dentures. Understanding which implant denture option you want begins with a 3-D x-ray and exam. Only then can you decide on a type of implant dentures.

How Do Implant Dentures Work?

Diagram of a lower denture above implantsImplant dentures work by supporting an entire arch of teeth with dental implants. You will need at least two implants to keep a denture in place, but four to six implants will increase the stability. You can get implants for an upper denture, lower denture, or both.

What Determines Your Choice of Implant Denture?

Several factors can determine your choice of implant denture, including:

  • The level of stability you want
  • Your jawbone quality and volume
  • Your oral and overall health
  • Your implant dentist’s skill, experience, and offerings
  • Your budget

Your implant dentist will explain the differences between types of implant dentures, including:

  • Snap-on denture
  • Mini implants
  • All-on-4 dental implants
  • Fixed implant dentures
  • Removable implant dentures

What About Dental Tourism for Dental Implants?

Before signing up for dental tourism for dental implants, consider a few factors:

  • Dental implant standards vary in countries throughout the world
  • Think about how you could verify the credentials and experience of an implant dentist in another country
  • How does the foreign dental practice handle follow-up care?
  • What would you do if you experienced complications?
  • Who will restore the implants with your final denture?
  • Have you considered all the financial costs involved with dental tourism?
  • How can you verify the reputation of a dental practice in another country?

The Academy of General Dentistry published an article on dental tourism that includes Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reminders about what to research before seeking dental care outside the United States. For each country and facility that you are considering for dental care, examine the following:

  • Medications
  • Infection control
  • Antibiotic-resistant bacteria
  • Standards by which facilities are measured

Schedule Implant Denture Consultations

Before you choose a provider or a type of implant denture, schedule a consultation with a prosthodontist, a dentist specializing in tooth replacement and restoration. Discuss your options, concerns, and thoughts about dental tourism with the dentist.

 

San Antonio prosthodontist Dr. Gilberto Tostado sponsors this post.

My dentist wants to replace my dental implant with a bridge

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This past spring, my dentist placed an implant in an upper right molar. I lost the tooth in a 2015 accident but didn’t have it replaced. Before surgery, my dentist told me that I didn’t need a graft, and he could place the tooth with no problem. After my recovery, my dentist changed the story and said that he placed the implant, although I had little bone left. I’ve had nothing but problems with the implant, and now my dentist said he recommends a bridge, but he will have to grind down my teeth. I don’t want a bridge. I want a $2675 refund for the implant that he wants to remove. I am incredibly frustrated because now, during a pandemic, I will have to find another dentist. I don’t know what I should ask you. I am looking for advice. Thank you. Fallon from Augusta, GA

 

Fallon,

Legally and professionally, your dentist owes you a refund. We’ll discuss both aspects.

Legal responsibility

An implied warranty is a legal principle that says you should receive what you paid for, and it should be suitable for its purpose. Your dentist failed to meet the agreement for these reasons:

  • A dental implant needs enough bone volume to support it.
  • Before surgery, your dentist explained that you could receive an implant without bone grafting.
  • During surgery, your dentist saw that you don’t have enough bone to support an implant, but he placed it anyway.
  • Your dentist now recommends removing the implant and replacing it with a dental bridge.

Your dentist can’t give you what you paid for, so you are entitled to a refund.

Professional responsibility

Three phases of dental implant - three components, root form in bone, crown on abutment.

Dental implants need enough bone to support them

Before you receive a dental implant, your dentist or oral surgeon must take x-rays—preferably a 3-D CT scan—to reveal your facial and jaw structure and your teeth. Information from the scan helps determine if you need bone grafting. Your description seems to indicate that x-rays were skipped because it was not until during surgery that your low bone volume was noticed.

If that is what happened, you probably have a malpractice case because your dentist violated the standard of care. A malpractice attorney can tell you if your compensation can include inconvenience, trauma, and risk fees.

What about a dental bridge?

If you are a candidate for dental implants, you don’t have to settle for a bridge.

Key points:

  • A dentist must cut down the healthy tooth on either side of the missing one must to accommodate a crown for the bridge.
  • A dental implant does not affect adjacent teeth.
  • Implants are anchored in the bone and outlast and outperform a bridge.

We advise that you look for a skilled implant specialist.

  • Schedule a consultation to get information on how the dentist plans for a successful outcome.
  • Ensure that your new provider will take a CT scan and explain your options for building up your bone if needed.
  • Ask your new dentist if he or she is willing to contact your current dentist to help you get a refund.

Best wishes on a smooth resolution with your current dentist and getting an implant that lasts.

Gilberto Tostato, DDS of Five Star Dental Group in San Antonio, sponsors this post.