I had two dental implants done and one of the crowns became loose. So, I made an appointment right away with the implant dentist and he told me that everything looked fine with the placement of the implant and said that the crown just needed to be re-cemented. Then, he tried to remove the crown and it wouldn’t come off as he expected.
So, to my horror, he used a tool to remove it and the implant came out too. Now, what am I supposed to do?
-Sandra in California
Sandra,
As you now know, the crown wasn’t the problem because it sounds like the dental implant was loose the entire time. A porcelain restoration that is loose will come off easily and wouldn’t require any kind of extra force or use of a tool. This is sad. This dentist should not be placing dental implants.
A loose dental implant is a very serious problem. You could end up with all sorts of complications related to the failed dental implant. It is time to find a new implant dentist in your area. What you experienced is not normal and sadly should have never happened. You mention that you are in California. Is it possible that you went across the border to have the work done? Often times, patients are enticed to travel for implants. But, other countries do not have the same standards that we do here in the United States. They often use substandard materials or cut corners on other aspects of the procedure. Hopefully, this will be an eye-opener for anyone else reading this and considering going out of the country.
There are many reasons for a loose dental implant:
- The crown may have been placed too soon, prior to it fusing with the bone. This process is called osseointegration and is imperative for the success of the procedure.
- The dental implant may not have been able to handle the force of the crown. This could be due to the exact surgical placement of the implant or the lack of bone support available at the site.
- Dental implants can also become infected. If this was the case, it would be likely that you would have had a lot of pain.
The good news is that the dental implant can be replaced. However, the bone will have to take the time to heal properly again. And it may be possible that you will require bone grafting depending on how much bone you have available at the site.
Do not go back to the same implant dentist. It is time to find a new one that you have researched and checked out their qualifications. Ask about their credentials and cases similar to yours.
Thank you for sharing your story. Hopefully, it will help others that are considering dental implants.
Best of luck!
This post is sponsored by Barrington cosmetic dentist James T. Gavrilos, DDS