dental implant failure 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.

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.

Emergency Dentist for Implant Pain?

Posted on April 30, 2019 by writeradmin.

Yesterday the area around my dental implant felt tender. I wasn’t too worried because it is surgery and does take time to heal. This morning, however, I woke up to that side of my face swollen. As it is the weekend, should I call an emergency dentist or do I need to wait until Monday and see my actual dental implant dentist?

Marina

Dear Marina,

Woman grabbing her jaw in pain, in need of an emergency dentist

It sounds like you have an infection brewing and a strong one at that. Any time there is pain, it is considered a dental emergency. So, yes, you need to be seen as soon as possible and not wait until Monday.

Infection is the leading cause of dental implant failure so you don’t want to put off getting this seen. Because it is regarding your dental implant, you need to call your office first. Most dentists have protocols in place for emergency situations such as yours.

If for some reason yours does not, you can do an internet search for an “emergency” dentist in your area. At the very least, they can call you in some broad spectrum antibiotics to hold this infection at bay. Though, I’d see if there was a dentist who sees emergency patients who also has experience in implant dentistry.

If the Dental Implant Fails

If you end up with the unfortunate result of your dental implant failing, that’s not necessarily the end of hope. Instead, you can try again. The only difference being you would need to have bone grafting done. This will build back up the bone lost during the procedural failure. Then, when that is healed you can try again.

Sometimes a dentist can do everything right and the procedure still fails. Everyone’s body responds differently to surgery. However, when done by an experienced implant dentist, the success rate is 98-99%. Those are good odds.

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

Implant or Emergency Dentist?

Posted on November 17, 2018 by writeradmin.

I’m at about the one-year mark for my dental implant. I started having some aching in my jaw and nothing felt quite normal. However, when I went in to see my implant dentist he said everything looked good. Now, it’s a few days later (and the weekend) and when I bit down on it there was a sharp pain and puss came out of it. I’m worried something is seriously wrong. My dentist isn’t open on weekends, can this wait until Monday or do I need to call an emergency dentist?

LeeAnne

Dear LeeAnne,

Infection is the leading cause of dental implant failure

I know your implant dentist doesn’t list any weekend hours, but I’d call him anyway. This is an emergency for your dental implant. It sounds like you’ve had an infection brewing for quite some time. It needs to be dealt with right away. He should have some emergency protocols for after-hours necessities.

If you can’t reach him, then it’s time to call an emergency dentist. They may not be able to do much except to prescribe an antibiotic to hold off the infection until you can see your implant dentist.

Once you get seen by your regular dentist, he may need to stabilize it with a splint. Hopefully, this can save the implant and you won’t lose it.

After Dental Implant Failure

If for some reason the dental implant can’t be saved, it’s not hopeless. First, you’ll need to make sure the infection is completely cleared before starting again. When you’re healed and ready, you’ll have to have bone grafting done in order to build back any bone lost during the loss of the implant.

After the grafting is healed you can start again with your dental implant procedure.

Should You Switch Dentists?

One of the things you need to consider is if you really have a qualified cosmetic dentist. You’ll need a dentist with post-doctoral training in the procedure, who has also performed a lot of cases. You’ll also want to ask how many of them are successful. He should say around 98% success rate.

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