I was about to go to a Clear Choice Dental Implant Center after seeing their commercials. Then I saw some reviews that make me nervous. Can they be trusted? Should I go somewhere else? I don’t want to waste time and money on something that won’t work.
Paul
Dear Paul,
Each Clear Choice Implant Center has different employees and dentists and I am sure that many of them are good, ethical people. That being said, there are a few things that cause me concern with the way their corporation is run.
All-on-4 Dental Implants
First, there is a big emphasis on marketing. I have found that tends to mess with the patient’s best interests.
Another concern I have is they always recommend removing all of your teeth and always recommend replacing them with all-on-four dental implants. I don’t have anything against that particular procedure as a whole. In fact, we do the procedure ourselves, but it is not meant to be the go-to option. Rather, the exception. There are drawbacks to the procedure. For instance, if one dental implant fails then the whole appliance has to be redone.
Implant overdentures
There are alternatives. In most cases, where all of your teeth have to be removed, I would suggest implant overdentures. It allows you to have more dental implants making your denture even more secure. Plus, if an implant fails it is only that implant that would need to be replaced.
A third concern I have is they have no follow-up with their patients. You’re just sort of left on your own. To me, follow-up is imperative. This is especially true with such an advanced procedure as implants.
My suggestion would be to go to Clear Choice and get their recommendation. However, don’t let them pressure you into signing anything. Insist that you want to get a second opinion. Then, go to a reputable dentist with post-doctoral training and a good amount of experience in dental implants. See what he or she has to say. Compare their treatment plans and make your decision based on that. Your teeth are really important, even if they are fake. You’ll want to go with the plan that will give you the highest quality of life.
This blog is brought to you by Atlanta Periodontist Dr. David Pumphrey.
