I have a problem with my dental implants. I’m a little confused about which dentist to talk to. When I said I was getting dental implants, my dentist sent me to a periodontist. The periodontist made it seem like he was in charge, not the dentist. I had the implant surgery, which was prepared for two bridges, one on either side of my mouth. When the bridges were placed, the “teeth” on the right side match up, but the ones on the left don’t. Is this normal? If not, should I talk to the dentist or periodontist?
Caitlin.
Dear Caitlin,
Comminication between dentist and surgeon are of the upmost importance
When you can’t find a dentist or periodontist who can do both the surgery and the restoration, it is imperative the two of them work in close communication. Despite what your periodontist said, it should be the restoration dentist who plans the procedure and tells the surgeon where to place the implants. Without that, you end up in a situation like you’re in now.
As to your question, no, this is not normal. It needs to be fixed. When your teeth do not occlude together properly, it can lead to TMJ problems. This can really disrupt your life.
Fixing this will not be simple. It’s very likely one (or both) sets of dental implants will need to be re-done. Though you can ask for a refund, I’m going to recommend something different. I’d like you to have them pay for repairing it, which is likely to cost more than the initial procedure.
When your dental implants are removed, it will leave a gap in the bone. In order to have enough bone to repair this, you’ll need bone grafting done. Then, after a healing period you can start over.
This blog is brought to you by Atlanta Periodontist Dr. David Pumphrey.
