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Duluth, GA 30097

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Archives for January 2021

Implant Bridge Misaligned My Teeth

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I need some advice. I had an implant bridge placed on the bottom right side of my mouth. Before that, all of my teeth lined up, even though the teeth had some problems. Now, I have a problem with the side with the bridge lines up and touches, but the other side does not. Not only are they no longer touching, but my jaw seems to be on a slant there. I don’t think this is normal, but my dentist seems to think it is nothing to worry about. Is he right? It just doesn’t feel comfortable to me. Though, my dentist says I will adjust to it. Will I? Right now it doesn’t seem like it.

Caryn

Dear Caryn,

woman holding her jaw in pain

No, this isn’t okay. It is always frustrating to me when medical practitioners say, “You’ll adjust”. Maybe you will get used to being uncomfortable and in pain, but you shouldn’t have to. Plus, if this is left untreated, it will very likely lead to TMJ Disorder.

When dental crowns or bridges are done correctly, the bite should line up perfectly and they should not be noticeable at all. Your dentist should know this. My guess is he recognizes there is a problem, but doesn’t know how to fix it. Implant dentistry is not a recognized specialty. Dentists have to choose to invest in enough dental implant training to become skilled. Not many do, which may be why is it is one of the procedures leading the list of dental malpractice suits.

Here is my suggestion. I want you to look at Dr. Marion’s qualifications. Then, I want you to find a dentist in your area with similar qualifications to look at your case. If it is as bad as I think, they can help get it repaired. Because the implants may have to be removed, I don’t want you to just get a refund. The repair will very likely cost more than the original procedure. Because if your implants have to be removed, they will take bone with them. You will need some bone grafting done if your new dental implants are to be properly secured. This will require a bone grafting procedure. Instead of a refund, I want you to tell the dentist you want him to have it repaired by a dentist of your choosing.

This blog is brought to you by Duluth, GA Dentist Dr. David Marion.

This Full-Mouth Reconstruction is a Disaster

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I need some help. My teeth were in bad shape. I’ve had six dental implants placed and the dentist is placing crowns on the remaining teeth. The implants are done and now he’s on the dental crowns. It doesn’t feel like the sides of my mouth are even. The teeth on one side hit, but not the other. My jaw hurts all the time. While it ached a little before the treatment happened, now it is constant. My dentist said he meets all the checkpoints and thinks I am just not used to having crowns in my mouth. How long should it take me to get used to this? What if I don’t?

Emma

Dear Emma,

woman holding her jaw in pain

Whenever you are crowning all the teeth, the way your dentist is, it is known as a full-mouth reconstruction. This is a very advanced procedure and very few dentists can do it well. I am not certain your dentist has the training necessary to do this correctly and it sounds like you are going to have a disaster on your hands. Your dentist said he met all the checkpoints. However, one of the basic checkpoints is that the teeth come together naturally and simultaneously. His comment that you are just not used to having dental crowns doesn’t give me any more confidence in him either. When dental crowns are done properly, you don’t notice them at all. There is no “getting used to them”.

The reason you are in so much pain is your teeth are not occluding properly. This is essential and will only lead to more severe problems if not repaired. So, where do you go from here?

My suggestion is you find a qualified dentist to look at your case. I suspect it will need to be redone. Look for a dentist who has done extensive training with one or more of the following post-doctoral training institutes:

  • The Pankey Institute
  • The Dawson Academy
  • The Las Vegas Institute for Advanced Dental Studies

Based on your description, I think the case will need to be re-done. Have the dentist check your dental implants as well. If you only need the crowns re-done and not the implants, ask for a refund on crowns only. If both need to be replaced, my suggestion, in that case, is instead of a refund you ask for him to pay to have the work replaced at the dentist of your choosing. This is because the cost of replacing implants is more than the original procedure— a result of needing bone grafting to replace the bone lost during the removal of the original implants.

This blog is brought to you by Dr. David Marion who tries to be the best dentist in Duluth, GA.