Tag Archives: all-on-4 dental implants

Worried About Clear Choice Dental Implant Centers

I’d been going to the seminars for Clear Choice Dental Implant Centers. When I finished, I was about to sign up for their service, but decided to do a bit more research. They did pressure me a bit, but I held my ground.  I looked up their reviews and they’re pretty mixed. I’m worried. How do I know whether I will get the good experience or the bad one. Several people said that they acted unethically. Are they all that way?

Edith


Dear Edith,

Illustration of all on four dental implants

I couldn’t tell you which ones are ethical or unethical. I couldn’t even tell you which ones have better service.  They are a corporate business model.

As a result, they tend to use high pressure tactics. They also are more of a one procedure shop, often pushing patients to get the all-on-four implant procedure, even if traditional implant supported dentures will work fine.

There is also the issue that while many of there dentists do a good job. They are almost always there just to gain experience and raise capital so that they can  start their own practice. As a result, there is a ton of turnover.

It would be like asking me whether there is good service at Walmart. Yes, at some. Others are the worst. It depends on the people working there.

My suggestion is that you get your work done with a private dentist. They will be much more invested in your case.  You will also have much better follow up care.  Just make sure that  whoever you use has significant post-doctoral training in dental implants. Dental school alone is not enough.

This blog is brought to you by friendly  Lafayette, LA Dentists, Drs. Foreman and Thimmesch.
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Should My Husband Get All-On-Four Dental Implants?

My husband needs to replace his bottom teeth. His upper teeth have been gone for a while and he has dentures there. We were told that you shouldn’t do dentures on bottom teeth because they won’t stay in the way the top ones do. Our dentist said he needs to get all-on-4 dental implants. I just want to explore if there are other options before we make a decision?

Pricilla

Dear Pricilla,

All-on-4 Dental Implants

I am curious why that is the only option he gave your husband. A dentist is ethically obligated to give his or her patients all of their options. He is correct that dentures are a bad idea on bottom teeth. While it is true that dentures will struggle to stay in on the lower arch, that does not happen right away. This is an issue because of bone resorption.

When his teeth are removed, his body recognizes that and begins to resorb the minerals in his jawbone in an effort to be as efficient as possible with his body’s resources. The big problem with that is after ten or so years, he will no longer have enough jawbone left to retain his dentures. This is known as facial collapse.

This bone structure is important no matter what tooth replacement option he chooses.

All-on-4 Dental implants (pictured above) are what dentists will sometimes offer to patients who have lost some jawbone structure but still want dental implants. However, there are other options.

Implant-supported denture

The first thing to find out is whether or not he has lost bone structure. If he hasn’t, then his best option is to get an implant overdenture. This uses between for and six dental implants and then anchors a denture to them.

If he is missing bone, depending on the amount, he has two choices. First, he can have the all-on-4 procedure his dentist suggested, as long as he hasn’t lost too much bone. The one downside to this procedure, however, is that if one implant fails, the entire unit has to be redone. A second option, no matter how much bone he’s lost, is to have a bone grafting procedure done to build it back up. Then, he can do implant overdentures if he wants. He could get a denture too, but bear in mind he will end up with facial collapse. Having dental implants in the jaw bone, prevents that from happening.

This blog is brought to you by Lafayette, LA Dentists Drs. Foreman and Thimmesch.