all-on-4 dental implants Archives - Drake & Wallace Dentistry

I am scheduled to go to a Clear Choice seminar. Since then, I’ve been looking up some information about them. I read on a dental blog that they have a lot of complaints. Is this a legitimate or safe organization? I don’t want to waste my time or money if it isn’t.

Kris

Dear Kris,

All-on-4 Dental Implants

First, I want to say that dental implants are the best tooth replacement you can choose, so great job. Plus, the fact that you are doing some research is great as well. As for your question, I cannot say that every single Clear Choice Dental Implant Center is good or bad. Each one is different. I can tell you some concerns that have been brought up about Clear Choice that you can look out for.

1. It is a corporation. Because of that, a lot of their processes are pretty automated. The problem with that is people’s bodies do not all fit into a little box.

2. Going along with my previous point. They tend to push for all patients to extract all of their teeth and get the all-on-four dental implant procedure (pictured above). It is easiest for them to do things that way. But, it may not be what is best for you. In fact, even if you do need all of your teeth extracted, that doesn’t mean the all-on-four procedure is the best one for you. Clear Choice is not the best at giving you all of your options.

I also want to make sure they you understand that with all-on-4, if one part of the unit breaks you have to replace the entire unit. You cannot just fix the part that broke.

3. They tend to use high pressure sales. This is the one thing I have heard across the board no matter which of their clinics you go to.

My suggestion is that even if you decide to go to their seminar (and there is nothing wrong with that), you also go to a private dentist and ask them what their recommended treatment plan would be for you. This way you have a fuller idea about what your options are. Though, make sure you go to a dentist who has post-doctoral training in dental implants.

This blog is brought to you by friendly dentists in Decatur, AL Drs. Drake and Wallace.

My husband is in the middle of the all-on-4 dental implant procedure. I have horrible metal and chemical sensitivities. I’m pretty sure I am having a reaction to his dental implants. Right now, he only has the temporary acrylic ones and titanium posts. Here’s the thing, I can smell rubber on his breath. It’s awful. I can barely sleep with him at this point. I spoke to the oral surgeon and he said titanium is really the only option for him. However, I have the feeling that he’s one of those doctors who only checks off boxes and never even considers alternatives. Do you have any suggestions? I’m thinking he should switch out the implants for zirconia.

Karen

Dear Karen,

I would be very surprised if it were his titanium implants that you were smelling. They are very inert. It is possible that you are smelling the acrylic. I would ask the dentist if you can smell them to see if that matches the smell you are being plagued with. I don’t think that will be it either, but I cannot think of any other material currently in his mouth that would give off a smell.

The most likely scenario is that he’s having trouble getting everything cleaned out when he brushes his teeth. If food and other bacteria are getting trapped, it will leave a strong smell, though I have never heard it described like rubber before. If that is the case, something like a Waterpik could help get the debris out from those tricky crevices.

While it may be true that your particular oral surgeon is a “standard” only kind of doctor, I don’t think you’ll want your husband to switch dental implants at this point. it would mean a lot of unnecessary surgery for him. First, they would have to remove his current dental implants, then he would need to have some bone grafting done, which requires a period of healing. After the bone grafting is done, then he would have to have another implant surgery to place the zirconia implants. That is a lot of surgery and a lot of risks that will very likely produce the same results he has with the titanium implants. While zirconia is metal-free, it actually has the same allergy/sensitivity risk as titanium because of how biocompatible they both are.

I would stick with what he has and see if the Waterpik helps.

This blog is brought to you by Decatur, AL Dentist Drs. Drake and Wallace.

Should I Go to Clear Choice Dental Implants?

Smelling My Husband’s Implants