bone grafting Archives | Williams Family Dentistry

Dentist Placed My Implant Knowing It Would Fail

Posted on December 10, 2025 by writeradmin.

Before my dental implant was placed, my dentist told me that everything was okay and ready to go. When I woke up from the procedure, he told me that there was not enough bone structure for the implant to last long. Here is the part that puzzles me. He placed it anyway. He’s now recommending that I remove it because it is going to fail and then get a dental bridge. Should I have to pay for the implant if it is being removed? Plus, I’m guessing there is going to be another fee for the removal procedure. I was really looking forward to a dental implant and getting a dental bridge feels like a step down. Is there any way to still get an implant or is that too big an ask?

Greg

Dear Greg,

I’m baffled as to how your dentist thinks this is acceptable in any way. Here are my problems with the treatment you’ve received. First, if he’d done adequate diagnostics before the procedure he would have known that there was not enough bone and suggested you have bone grafting done in order to ensure you have a successful procedure.

Second, once he was in there and realized that there wasn’t enough bone, placing the implant anyway was unethical. What he should have done was close you back up and let you know what was going on. From there you could have either moved forward with some bone grafting or got a dental bridge instead, depending on which tooth replacement you decided to go with.

To answer your question, no, you should not have to pay for a procedure he did knowing it would not work. That would be like someone selling you a refrigerator that salesman knew would not keep food cold. You’d definitely get your money back for that, right?

Unless there is something else unusual going on, you could still get a dental implant. I would not allow this dentist to do it, though. It does not feel like you are in the best hands. I would ask for a full refund and look for a dentist with post-doctoral training in dental implants. As an aside, these days you can even get metal free dental work, including for implants.

This blog is brought to you by a friendly dentist in Lexington, KY Dr. James Williams.

Can I Get Dental Implants After Ten Years In Dentures?

Posted on July 30, 2024 by writeradmin.

I’ve been in dentures for ten years. Now, I finally have some extra money and can get the dental implants that I have always wanted. However, my dentist hinted I may not have enough bone left to get the implants. Did it take me too long to save up?

Jamie

Dear Jamie,

While you have likely lost a lot of bone structure, that doesn’t mean you can’t have dental implants. However, it will require you get one additional procedure. Your body is designed to be as efficient with its resources as possible. When your teeth were first removed, your body recognized that and began to resorb the minerals in your jawbone in order to use them elsewhere in your body. You may have started noticing that it is getting harder to keep your dentures in place. It starts with slipping, eventually they will start falling out. Then, you won’t be able to wear them at all. In dental circles, this is known as facial collapse.

The good news is that there is a solution. You will need to have bone grafting done in order to build back up the lost bone structure. Once that is done and healed you can move forward with getting the dental implants.

You’ll be pleased to know that having dental implants in your jaw will signal to your body that you still have teeth. Because of that it will leave your new bone structure intact and you will no longer have to worry about facial collapse.

This blog is brought to you by Lexington, KY Dentist Dr. Williams.

My Dentures Will No Longer Stay In My Mouth

Posted on July 31, 2023 by writeradmin.

I am hoping you can help me. I’ve had dentures for about 17 years. They’ve served me well, but now I just can’t get them to stay in my mouth. I’m guessing they’ve stretched out over the years and I need a new one. Do I need to start the procedure over or can my dentist just copy the old records? I’m not even sure my old dentist is still in practice any longer.

Brent

Dear Brent,

Your denture is not falling out because it is stretched out. What you are dealing with is known in dental circles as facial collpase. When your teeth were first removed 17 years ago, your body recognized that you no longer had any teeth roots. In an effort to be as efficient with your body’s resources as possible it immediately begins to resorb the minerals in your jawbone in order to use them elsewhere in your body where it perceives they will be more needed.

While very useful in supplying your body with the resources it needs, it has the unfortunate side effect of shrinking your jawbone. After a number of years, as you are discovering, there is no longer enough jawbone left to retain your dentures. I wish your dentist would have warned you about this before you got dentures because there is a way to have prevented this.

The good news is that there is a solution for your situation. The first thing you will need to do is to have bone grafting done. This will build up all the bone structure that you lost over the years. Then, after a period of healing, you then have a choice. First, you could just go ahead and get new removable dentures made. Just be aware that you will find yourself back in the same spot as your minerals again begin to be resorbed. A better option, if you can do it, is to get implant supported dentures.

With this procedure, you will have four to six dental implants placed in your jaw. After the bone has had time to integrate with the implant, then a denture can be build that will be anchored to the implants. These are known as implant overdentures. They will not only completely secure them, but will also prevent facial collapse.

One thing you will immediately notice is your quality of life going up. Even the best fitting dentures reduce your chewing capacity by 50%. Now, with implant supported dentures, you can eat whatever you want and never have to worry about them slipping or sliding again.

This blog is brought to you by Lexington, KY Dentist Dr. James Williams.

Some of My Dental Implants have Fallen Out

Posted on December 27, 2021 by writeradmin.

I have paid for six dental implants. I’ve only had them for a couple of weeks and already four of them have fallen out. I have some questions. Seeing as I have already paid for these, should I get a refund on the ones that have failed? I also am concerned about the ones that are left. Do you think they will fall out as well? Is there a way I can still get dental implants or do I have to find a different option?

Bruce

Dear Bruce,

Getting a refund is the very least you should expect. I actually want you to ask for something completely different, which we will go over in a moment. First, you should know this is not normal. In most cases, the failure rate for dental implants is about 5%, even then it would take more than a year for that to happen. Your dentist has a 60% failure rate in just two weeks. I’ll tell you right now that I do not recommend you hold out much hope for the remaining two implants. All that being said, it is likely you can still have dental implants. I just don’t think you can with this particular dentist.

The first thing I want you to do is see another dentist and find out why these dental implants failed. Go see a dentist with a lot of successful dental implant experience.

Reasons For Dental Implant Failure

Infection at the implant site. This often happens because of poorly fitting implants but can happen for other reasons as well.
Inadequate bone support. There is a solution for this and if the dentist does proper diagnostics, they would know ahead of time that some bone grafting is necessary.
Substandard fixtures purchased overseas. The implant dentures we use in the states have to undergo high standards. Because of that, they cost more. Some dentists, trying to increase their profits will purchase the less expensive ones that you can get from other countries. Unfortunately, that sometimes means the fixtures will not hold up.
Placing the dentures or dental crowns on your implant fixtures before there was time for the bone to integrate with the implants. This is known as premature loading.

Where to Go From Here

Rather than asking for a refund, I want you to ask for this dentist to pay for you to have your implants placed by another dentist. This will include the cost of the bone grafting that you will now definitely need as a result of your implants failing. But, it needs to be a dentist of your choosing.

This blog is brought to you by Lexington, KY Dentist Dr. John Weaver.

Dental Implants After Years In Dentures

Posted on August 29, 2021 by writeradmin.

I’ve had dentures for about fourteen years. Lately, they have not been fitting correctly and have begun slipping a bit. It is possible for me to switch to dental implants or did I wait too long?

Maddie

Dear Maddie,

Technically, it is never too late to get dental implants. However, the longer you have been wearing dentures, the more likely you are to need an additional procedure for it to work. There is a condition known as a facial collapse that begins the moment you remove your natural teeth. Your body recognizes that you no longer have teeth there because the roots are missing. It immediately begins resorbing the minerals normally used by your jawbone to use elsewhere throughout your body. It does this to be as efficient as possible with your body’s resources. The longer you are without teeth, the more your jawbone shrinks. This is why your denture is currently feeling less secure. Eventually, it will get to the point where you can’t even keep the denture in.

In order to get to where you have enough bone structure to retain dental implants, you will need to build that bone back up. This requires a procedure known as bone grafting. Once that is completed, you will be good to go for your dental implants.

Tips for Successful Dental Implant Procedure

Make certain your dentist has dental implant training. Just dental school is not enough.
If someone other than the dentist will do the surgery, make certain you see the dentist first and he or she is the one to determine the placement of the dental implants.
It would be a GREAT idea to have a CT scan done as part of your diagnostics. Dental implants are a 3-Dimensional procedure and your dentist needs 3-Dimensional images.

There are many benefits to upgrading from dentures to implant overdentures: security, increased chewing capacity, comfort; however, the biggest benefit is the preservation of your jawbone. Once those dental implants are in place, your body interprets that as you having teeth and it leaves the minerals from your jawbone in one place.

This blog is brought to you by Lexington, KY Dentist Dr. John Weaver.

Dentist Placed Implants Knowing They Would Fail

Posted on July 26, 2021 by writeradmin.

I was going to my family dentist for a dental implant. Before the surgery, he said everything looked good. Then, when the surgery was over there was a totally different story. He told me that when he went in that it was apparent there was not enough bone structure there to retain the implants for very long. He placed them anyway and is telling me he thinks we need to remove them. I’m so frustrated. Have you ever heard of a dentist doing something like this? I’ve spent so much money.

Dean

Dear Dean,

This is insane. He cannot get away with this. It is serious negligence, even malpractice. This was completely preventable if he’d have done the right diagnostics to begin with. He should have done diagnostics, which included x-rays and preferably also a CT scan in order to determine if you have enough bone to be a good candidate for dental implants. He obviously skipped this step or completely botched reading them. Had he done this properly, he would have recognized the problem and been able to take steps to ensure you would have a successful outcome.

One of the basic principles of any dental procedure is that the dentist believes the procedure will work. When he places an implant knowing it would fail, he violates a basic standard of care. In fact, he does more harm than good. I do not want you to merely ask for a refund, which you are definitely entitled to. Instead, I want you to ask him to pay for this to be done correctly by the dentist of your choice.

Unfortunately, it will not be as simple as just taking out the old ones and putting in the new ones. When the implants are removed it will take some of the bone with it. You will need a bone grafting procedure to build up the bone. Then, after a period of healing you will be able to get the dental implnats you need.

When you pick the dentist to fix this, make sure they have post-doctoral training in dental implants. This is important.
I am sorry this happened to you. Know that you have the right to get this done correctly. If he gives you a hard time about it, let him know that if you took him to court, you would get everything you are asking for plus damages. It is in his favor to pay for this to be repaired.

This blog is brought to you by Lexington, KY Dentist Dr. John Weaver.

Metal Allergies, Dentures, & Dental Implants

Posted on September 30, 2020 by writeradmin.

I lost my teeth due to an extended illness. I have a severe metal allergy so my dentist said I wouldn’t be a good candidate for dental implants because they are made of metal. I thought I’d be okay with dentures. Better dentures than nothing. Unfortunately, I’m just not adjusting to them well. The plate makes me gag. Most of the time I don’t even put them in. Is there a solution for someone in my position?

Candace

Dear Candace,

There is a growting availability of metal free dental care.

You said you have a dental allergy. Do you know if that allergy includes titanium? The metal in dental implants is strictly titanium, which is quite biocompatible. It’s been used in prosthetics for decades without problems. It may be your dentist is just uncomfortable placing dental implants and therefore steered you away from it.

Let’s say for argument’s sake that you are allergic to titanium. That doesn’t mean you cannot have dental implants. These days zirconia implants are available. Not every dentist is using them yet because they haven’t been around as long os the traditional titanium ones, but I’m certain you’ll be able to find a dentist who is placing them.

I’d do a search for a metal-free dentist or a holistic dentist. They are both dentists who’d be more willing in your situation.

A Word about Dentures

You aren’t alone in finding it difficult to deal with dentures. Many patients do. The good news about implant overdentures is you won’t have to worry about that gag reflex because there will no longer be a plate necessary. You didn’t mention how long you’ve been in dentures. That will have an impact on whether you can immediately have dental implants placed or if you’ll need an intermediary procedure, known as bone grafting. The longer you are in dentures, the more your jaw bone shrinks. Make sure whoever you see does all the necessary diagnostics, including a CT scan.

This blog is brought to you by Lexington, KY Dentist Dr. John WeaeLexington, KY Dentist