My former dentist relocated and referred me to a new dentist. Before switching to new dentists, I considered dental implants for a lower denture. My dentist said he had completed implant training and completed implants for about 30 patients. He convinced me to let him do my implants, and I agreed. After taking a CT scan, the dentist said I needed bone grafting before implants. He completed the graft and waited fixed months for healing. When my dentist tried to place the implants two weeks ago, he said that the grafts were collapsing. Then he mentioned being surprised at the outcome and recommended a dental bridge. When I asked about repeating the graft or referring me to someone else, the dentist said that is uncomfortable about repeating the graft because most of his patients do not require it. I am afraid I will need All-on-4 because my dentist botched the graft. Thank you. Reggie
Reggie,
Thank you for your question. Dr. Perry would need to examine your bone graft sites and take a 3-D CT scan to determine what would wrong.
We must commend your dentist for not placing implants in faulty grafts. Although our dentist may have training and experience in implant placement, he admits that he lacks experience with bone grafting. Still, he must feel more confident about placing a dental bridge than repeating a bone grafting procedure.
What If Your Dental Implant Bone Graft Failed?
All-on-4 dental implants
If your dental implant bone graft fails, a skilled periodontist can determine whether a second procedure will help you get implant dentures. Although All-on-4 dental implants are fixed implant dentures for patients who lack enough bone volume for standard implant procedures, the bone graft sites might need attention first. We recommend scheduling an appointment with a periodontist for an exam and CT scan to evaluate your bone health and determine your options for implant dentures.
Atlanta periodontist Dr. David Pumphrey sponsors this post.
