I haven’t ate normal since the whole dental implants process started over a year ago. I am starting to lose weight now and pretty much stick to a liquid or soft food diet. There has to be something wrong with them. I can’t take it anymore.
When this all began, I had nearly half of my normal teeth. But, they were bothering me and the dentist told me that only two of them were worth saving. So, he recommended that I have all of the remaining teeth extracted so I could get implant-supported dentures. I was really nervous because of how expensive everything was going to be. But, the dentist got me set up with a financing plan through the office.
I feel like I’ve been in pain ever since. The dentist kept telling me that once everything healed properly and after the denture was secure, I would get to feeling normal again. But, I’ve been telling them that something feels wrong and they haven’t done anything about it. Their solution was for me to get another treatment, which would cost even more than I was originally quoted. I just want to be able to eat normally again and I cannot afford to try something different. To be honest, I was better off before this all started.
In the research I’ve done, I think the dentist misplaced the implant and that is why I cannot tolerate the denture. Shouldn’t they be responsible for fixing it, if they didn’t accomplish what I paid for?
Please help!
-Ken in Virginia
Ken,
First off, I’m sorry you are having to go through this dental implants nightmare. There are many possible reasons for your discomfort. Unfortunately, you were somewhat vague with the source of your pain. After this amount of time has passed, it could very well be the placement of the dental implants. But, it could also be an ill-fitting denture too. If you haven’t been able to wear a denture in over a year, then something hasn’t been right from the beginning. They should definitely fix it for you, free of charge
But, it sounds like it’s time to seek a second opinion from another reputable implant dentist in your area. The one you have been seeing is not doing the right thing. A skilled implant dentist should be able to figure out the problem after an examination and in you describing your problems with the denture. He or she should also be able to evaluate and determine if there is something wrong with the placement of the dental implant.
The best case scenario is that the denture needs some minor adjustments to alleviate your problems. You need to get back to a healthy diet and there is no excuse for this situation carrying on as long as it has.
Now, if additional work is required to make it right, the new dentist may be able to help you build a case to request a full or at the very least a partial refund for the failed implant work.
Good luck to you. Dr. Rick Lane is a dentist in Petaluma, CA that is experienced in dental implants. As you have found out, it is imperative to check out the dentist’s credentials to make sure they have the skill and training required beyond dental school to be successful. Not every dentist has the expertise in implant dentistry required.