The Cosmetic Dentistry Blog

November 16, 2009

Another Clear Choice complaint

Filed under: Clear Choice Dental Implants Centers — iowasmiles @ 10:00 am

Clear Choice spent a fortune on huge newspaper ads touting their 1 day service which was not true as I thought. They also spent a fortune on a posh Marriott Hotel banquet room giving hundreds of people a very expensive cocktail party including beer, wine, other mixed drinks, plus a huge array of food. Next they gave an hour speech about how all kinds of people had their teeth done in a day. They would not quote prices or costs, though. I went to the offices (in St. Louis)  for an interview with a very inept Marketing Business major who could not get the xray machine to work. She came back after a visit with a dentist we never even got to meet and said I needed all my teeth pulled and it would take much longer than 1 day, plus the cost would be close to $60,000 and that was the minimum he would do for me. What a big, hideous joke.
- Carol from Missouri

Carol,
Thanks for the information. I have heard from several sources of this type of treatment plan being given out at Clear Choice, and it’s beginning to look like this is typical for them. I am highly suspicious. I would not believe that all your teeth need to be pulled just because they said so.

I think you’re smart to get a second opinion.
- Dr. Hall

October 1, 2009

Not impressed with Clear Choice or Your Implant Solutions

Filed under: Clear Choice Dental Implants Centers — iowasmiles @ 3:07 pm

Dr. Hall
It appears my wife needs completely new upper and lower arches. Assuming that’s true, how can I determine the best implant provider in the Chicago area? We have been to Clear Choice and Your Implant Solutions. They seem more interested in getting a commitment. Have you heard anything about A Center for Dental Implants (ACDI) and their affiliation with Resource 1?
- Jim in Chicago

Jim,

I have heard some patient experiences with Clear Choice Dental Implant Centers that make me very wary of them. I don’t know anything about Your Implant Solutions. But I do know this. When dentists try to push people into treatment, offer specials if you start right away, or use any kind of salesmanship tactics, it is very low class. I would not trust any dentist affiliated with an organization that uses any kind of pressure sales technique. I have heard of several such experiences patients have had with Clear Choice. So I would trust your instincts in not wanting to go to either of those places.

I don’t know anything about A Center for Dental Implants, either. I don’t trust large, impersonal dental clinics in general. I don’t know if that’s what they are. Pick the dentist, is my advice.

As far as dental implant providers in the Chicago area, I know an excellent one, and that is Dr. William Cohen of Glenview. He is highly ethical and will present all your options without any pressure of any kind. When I lived in Iowa, I drove to Chicago for my dental care and he was the one who did my dentistry. He has a website, so you can Google him. He has a surgeon in the office who does the implant surgery, and he does the restorative part.

Dr. Hall

September 22, 2009

Questioning my treatment plan from Clear Choice

Filed under: Clear Choice Dental Implants Centers — iowasmiles @ 5:39 pm

Dr. Hall

I have had over $50K dental work the past 25 yrs. Porcelain Bridges, crowns, etc. I have gotten comments for years about my beautiful teeth and smile. I am replacing with full lower & upper implants. 4 implants holding top and 4 on the bottom. I have financed the upper at $25K and keep postponing the surgery for fear of implants looking fake and not working properly. I must obtain remainder of $$ to have bottom surgery at same time. Somehow, the Dr. I met did not sit well with me.

Is it reasonable to expect the implants to look real, even though they will not be porcelain? May I expect to keep my mouth clean after the permanent implants? I floss my bridges, etc a couple times a day and assume this will keep the implants clean as well?

They misled me in the beginning to believe the entire process would be 6 months. After the second visit, I realized I should assume 1 year for full recovery. When questioned, the Dr. insinuated I misunderstood. Now trust is an issue. Thanks for your help.
-Linda from Georgia

Linda,
Everything may be on the up-and-up with this dentist and the Clear Choice center, but I’m suspicious, and I would suggest getting a second opinion.

If you haven’t had the surgery yet, you’re entitled to get your money back. You have that right.

I have heard stories that the Clear Choice Dental Implants Centers tend to want to push this “All on Four” technique. Is that what is being proposed for you? Which would mean they are suggesting that you have all your natural teeth extracted. Is that something they have also told you?

A couple of days ago I got a threatening letter from lawyers representing Clear Choice, who basically are demanding that I not try to solicit comments like yours from people who have been to Clear Choice centers. This also makes me question their ethics. So trust is an issue with me with these people as well.  So maybe you need all your teeth extracted, maybe you don’t. My advice is to play it safe and get another opinion.

Trust is very important in health care, and if you have come to not trust this dentist, I think it’s time for you to look around for another.

About your other questions: Yes, it is reasonable for you to expect your implant-supported teeth to look perfectly natural. And as far as cleaning, that depends on how the dental implants are done. You should ask specific questions about how you keep them clean afterward. It’s important to keep them clean for them to last long.

Dr. Hall

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September 8, 2009

Is Clear Choice attempting to silence complaints?

Filed under: Clear Choice Dental Implants Centers — iowasmiles @ 11:56 am

We have two reports now where Clear Choice Dental Implants Centers appear to be using intimidation to silence complaints. This information was received from Dr. Arthur Chal in Phoenix and Dr. William Cohen in Chicago in early September.

These dentists had received patient complaints about Clear Choice and had posted those on their websites, along with responses to those complaints. Subsequently, they received threatening letters from attorneys representing Clear Choice alleging trademark infringement.

I believe that Clear Choice and their attorneys know full well that such claims of trademark infringement are bogus. Trademark law specifically allows for the use of a competitor’s trademark in comparative advertising or for the purposes of news commentary or criticism. I also believe they know that many dentists will simply agree to their illegal demands to avoid a possible legal battle, and that this will silence criticism.

I am very disappointed in this action by Clear Choice Dental Implants Centers. When I first heard of their operation, my opinion was that they probably operated high quality treatment facilities backed by a strong marketing program. Reports I have been hearing recently, however, are giving me the impression that they have some questionable ethics. We have this legal bullying tactic, which I associate with enterprises that feel they can’t stand reasonable scrutiny. I have also heard a couple of unsettling reports of patients being pressured into tooth extraction or expensive dental implants treatment when there are other options that would be better for the patient.

Accordingly, I have posted a form for Clear Choice complaints. If you have had a bad experience at a Clear Choice Dental Implants Center, please let us hear from you.

I’ll post more on this later and on regular pages of our website in the dental implants section.

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August 7, 2009

How best to replace a front tooth – taking Fosamax

Filed under: Dental bridges, Dental implants — iowasmiles @ 9:45 am

I had a next to the front tooth extracted. My surgeon cautioned about an implant as I have been on fosamax for about 10 years. I am now wearing a flipper which annoys me and has a sour taste in my mouth. I read about the Encore Bridge or Maryland Bridge. The tooth next to the one pulled has a cap on it. Am I eligible for an Encore Bridge? My dentist hesitates to give a regular bridge as he would have to file down a front large tooth. Any advice?
- Susan in Massachusetts

Susan,
I have a couple of points that may be helpful.

First, taking Fosamax doesn’t mean you can’t have a dental implant. There is a slightly increased risk of serious local bone problems when you are taking Fosamax and you have oral surgery that involves the bone, which placing dental implants does. The risk is small, but the potential consequences are serious, so I wouldn’t ignore the risk. However, you can temporarily suspend taking the Fosamax and work around it, if your oral surgeon coordinates this with your physician.

If you don’t want to deal with that, then some type of dental bridge would be best. But I would leave it up to your dentist to choose the type of bridge. An Encore Bridge is a nice service and is esthetic and conservative. But I wouldn’t want you to be the first patient your dentist had ever done an Encore Bridge on. The procedure is very tricky and has some strength limitations. Stick to the types of bridges your dentist suggests, because then you can be fairly certain your dentist is comfortable doing that type of bridge.

If your dentist is a typical general dentist, I would recommend doing the conventional, tried-and-true regular bridge, filing down the front teeth like has been done millions of times before for other patients, and it works.

There is no perfect solution for you. Given the assumptions I have made in this answer, I think the conventional bridge has the smallest downside and the least risk for you.
- Dr. Hall

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July 28, 2009

Dental insurance for dental implants

Filed under: Dental implants, Dental insurance — iowasmiles @ 3:22 pm

Dr. Hall,
I think I am a candidate for dental implants. Is there dental insurance that will help with the cost?
- Gary from Pennsylvania

Gary,
Dental insurance, if you already have it, will usually help pay for dental implants, but not very much. What most dental insurance plans will do is pay for the least expensive option for replacing missing teeth, which usually ends up being something removable – either a removable full denture or a removable partial denture. These are the most uncomfortable dental restorations.

Another point I’d like to make is that it appears that you’re looking to buy some insurance on your own to help pay for implants. If that is the case, think through what you want. It sounds like you’re thinking of trying to take advantage of the insurance company. You want to pay them a certain amount of money and then get them to pay you more money back in benefits than you paid them in premiums. Good luck trying to talk a for-profit dental insurance company into that business deal.
- Dr. Hall

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July 18, 2009

Should I get all-on-four dental implants?

Filed under: Dental implants — iowasmiles @ 5:34 pm

Hello, Dr Hall
My husband has been at a dentist who learned at Dr Malo’s cliic, the doctor said he should have the all in 4 method, but the price was far far higher that we can afford.

The question is how much approximately the whole mouth would cost with the 4 implants and the whole treatment? We have been thinking that maybe it would be worth it to travel to portugal? Hope you will answer my question promptly since this situation, without teeth, is impossible to bear for him.

Thank you in advance,
Dinah from Jerusalem, Israel

Dear Dinah,
I would be careful. I don’t know much about dental care in Israel, so I don’t know what your options are. The All-on-Four technique is a controversial dental implants technique, and I’m suspicious of a dentist who only gives you this option.

If cost is a big factor, a snap-on denture or an overdenture is the most economical. They can require as few as two dental implants, and the cost is usually proportional to the number of implants. They aren’t as stable as using more implants, but the risk of failure may be lower than the all-on-four technique, which has had a higher risk of failure for most dentists.

Do you have many choices of implant dentists in Jerusalem? I’d tend to recommend getting a second opinion here.
- Dr. Hall

July 16, 2009

Am I a candidate for bone grafting?

Filed under: Dental implants — iowasmiles @ 7:34 pm

Dr. Hall,
Thank you so much for your website. It has helped answer many questions that I have; specifically, regarding dental implants.

I am in need of three implants and possibly bone grafting. I would like to know more about how dentists determine if one is a good candidate for the grafting.

My general dentist wants to do implants but I would like someone who is more experienced in helping me make the right decision. I am 42 and had a bridge done when I was 16, and I can see the bone loss.
- Esther from Texas

Esther,
Your chances for success with bone grafting are best if you are in good general health. Beyond that, it is a matter of examining your x-rays and CT scans, and making a decision based on the specifics of your case.

If you have a more complicated case, which is the situation if you need bone grafting, it is good to get a dentist with strong experience in dental implants. This is a field that is like cosmetic dentistry. It isn’t a separate specialty, but it requires extensive additional training beyond dental school.

As far as finding an implant dentist, there isn’t a really good way that I know about. It’s going to involve a little guesswork, but that’s the best I think you can do. What I would do is look for a dentist who has a website, and then look for someone with strong credentials. Do a search for implant dentists in your city. Then look for evidence in the doctor’s biography of extra training in implant dentistry and professional memberships. There are organizations such as the International Congress of Oral Implantology, the Academy of Osseointegration, and the American Academy of Implant Dentistry that provide extra training in implant dentistry for dentists. You need someone with strong experience and training in this field.

I hope this is helpful,
Dr. Hall

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April 24, 2009

Will my medical insurance pay for my dental implants?

Filed under: Dental implants, Dental insurance, Dentures — iowasmiles @ 3:50 pm

I have some dental issues with my upper teeth, missing three back teeth and have one bridge that is 37 years old. I would like to have all my upper teeth replaced with permanent denture implant. I have struggled with peridontal disease and go in every six months for scaling/root planing. I did try a partial dental plate but it made me gag, and I could never get past that or trying to eat with it in.

I would like to get an estimate for this if it can be done and it could be considered a medical condition so that my medical insurance would help pay for it.

Thank you for your time.
- Bev in Utah

Bev,
That’s a point that we don’t mention maybe as often as we should. One distinct advantage of dental implants over say a removable partial denture or a complete denture is that there is no extra hardware in your mouth, and people who are prone to gagging can sometimes have great difficulty with a plate, say, that goes across your entire palate as many dentures need to have.

As far as your insurance, your medical insurance won’t likely cover anything, so you will need to go to your dental insurance for any help. We get variations of this question a lot – “My teeth are affecting my general health, so can’t I expect my medical insurance to help pay for it?” But almost all medical insurance contracts have an exclusion clause that specifically denies coverage for any dental problems. Otherwise, even a simple cavity could be called an infection and it does affect your general health. The only exception is that medical insurance will generally cover dental damage from an accident. So if you break your front tooth diving into a shallow pool, medical insurance will generally help you pay for it. Otherwise, anything done to your teeth will be excluded from being covered by medical insurance.

We can’t give estimates for specific dental work. For that you need to consult a local dentist. We do have a page on dental implants cost to give you some general guidelines.

April 21, 2009

I can’t keep my denture in. What can I do?

Filed under: Dental implants, Dentures — iowasmiles @ 8:42 pm

I am a 60 year old woman who has a denture for about 35 years , I can hardly keep a denture in even with adheasive I am told i have virtually no ridge left and it could get bad enough that i can’t wear a denture at all. what can be done?
- Lucille in Ohio

Lucille,
You are in a very tough spot. What happens is that when your teeth are gone, your body thinks it doesn’t need that bone any more and begins to resorb it and use those minerals elsewhere in the body. It’s called facial collapse. Eventually, it does get to the point where you can’t even wear a denture.

At that point, what you need is bone grafting to build the bone back up. And you may need to hunt around to find a dentist who can do this. This type of surgery is complicated and difficult, and there are oral surgeons who won’t attempt it.

Beyond that, there are a number of options for getting replacement teeth, depending on how important this is to you and how much money you want to spend and how much treatment you want. The simplest thing would be to just have the same kind of removable dentures placed over the newly built up jawbone. The problem with that is that you will go back through the cycle of bone resorption again.

The placing of dental implants will prevent bone resorption around those implants. The more implants you have, the more bone you will retain. You could have just two dental implants in each jaw and have what are called overdentures or snap-on dentures over those. That works reasonably well. Or you could have dental implant hybrid restorations where the dentures are securely fastened to the implants.

And what I would hope is that others would learn a good lesson from your story. It would have helped if, when you were twenty-five years old and possibly were tempted to think that getting false teeth would be the end of your dental problems, if someone had explained to you the long-term consequences of getting all your teeth extracted. So let your children and all your friends know of your difficulty, if you can feel comfortable doing that. For those who have lost all their teeth but don’t yet have the bone resorption to the degree you have, placing dental implants can prevent these other problems down the road.

Dr. Hall

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