Clear Choice or Costa Rica for Dental Implants
I’ve been researching options or dental implants. I looked at Clear Choice Implants but they prefer to do all-on-4 dental implants. I’ve heard that these have some downsides. Looking over their reviews, I also see a lot of people complain that there was no follow up with them as well. I’d really like to get traditional implant supported dentures, but they told me I’d need bone grafting for that so the all-on-4 is my best option. Another option that I looked into is going to Costa Rica to have the work done. Apparently, there I can have the bone grafting and traditional implant overdentures done and it would still end up cheaper than Clear Choice. Would that be my better option?
Viola
Dear Viola,
I’m glad you wrote. I would not go for either of these options for your dental implants, and here’s why. Let’s start with Clear Choice. You mentioned the problem with no follow up. That is true. You also mentioned that there were downsides with them. That is also true. A significant issue is that if something goes wrong with one implant, then the entire system will have to be replaced.
But going to Costa Rica will be much worse. Even in the United States, with all of our quality controls, when things go wrong with the implant procedure, there can be serious consequences. But take away those quality controls and you are looking at a potential disaster. The standard of care and even the quality and sterilization of equipment is different outside of the U.S. Plus, you will have no real follow up or any recourse if things do go wrong. The last thing you want is to be yet one more person in a long line of dental implant horror stories.
There is a third option. Go with a private dentist with post doctoral training in dental implants. Have the bone grafting done and then have the implant supported dentures you were hoping for. You will know the dentist is trained. Private dentists are much more invested in the success of their cases than corporate clinics like Clear Choice, so you should have excellent follow up.
This blog is brought to you by Moline Dentist Dr. Thomas Goebel.
Maryland Bridge Before an Implant Crown?
My daughter has a congenitally missing lateral incisor. We’ve finished orthodontics and plan to eventually get her a dental implant to replace it. She’s too young for one right now. Our dentist suggested that we get her a Maryland Bridge as a temporary tooth replacement until she is old enough. The problem is the Maryland Bridge just won’t stay on. She’s tried different cements but that didn’t work. We were using ceramic wings. The dentist thinks that may be the problem. So now she’s thinking about giving her metal wings. I’m a bit worried. It will be about five years before she can get a dental implant. I have some questions that have me worried. Will the metal wings adhere that long? Will they damage the adjacent teeth that they are being attached to? Will people be able to see the metal behind her teeth?
Carol
Dear Carol,
I’m glad you wrote. First, let me say that I am glad you picked a dental implant for her permanent tooth replacement. It is the best tooth replacement you can get her.
I am not sure why your dentist recommended a Maryland Bridge for your daughter. One of the reasons that your daughter’s Maryland Bridge is not staying on because cement isn’t enough for this type of tooth replacement. There actually needs to be a bit of a notch made into the tooth, like you see in the image above. Because of that, I would not consider it a temporary tooth replacement. Once she is old enough and your remove the Maryland Bridge, that notch will have to be filled in with dental bonding material. So, yes, it will damage the tooth.
I would not let her do the metal wings. They will not stay any better without the notch we talked about and they will stain her adjacent teeth.
Instead, I’m going to suggest that you get her a dental flipper. This will hold the space open, it is much less expensive than what your dentist is currently using, and it will not damage her tooth in any way. Then, once she is old enough for a dental implant, you can replace her tooth permanently.
This blog is brought to you by Moline Dentist Dr. Thomas Goebel.
Click here to learn about metal-free dental care.
Titanium of Zirconia Dental Implants?
Can you tell me if I should get zirconia implants instead of titanium? The thing that has me worried is I read an article that said that the titanium will cause neurological effects. I already have two of them and this has me quite worried. I understand that there is a possibility that I can switch them out. Would you recommend that?
Eugenia
Dear Eugenia,
I would love to know what article you read. There are no studies that I know of that talk about neurological problems, or any biological problems, from titanium. I do tend to pay attention to these issues. If it makes you feel better to know this, titanium is one of the most biocompatible metals there is. It’s been used for decades as a prosthetic both in teeth, hips, as well as many other places in the body. There have been no reports of anything negative in all this time.
However, one thing I want you to think about before you make any decisions regarding switching your dental implants is the difficulty in doing that. First, the original dental implants will have to be removed. That is one surgery. When your implants are removed, it will take bone with it. In order to have dental implants, you need adequate bone support. To get that you will need bone grafting done. That is a second surgery. Once that has healed, you will then need to have the zirconia implants placed. That is a third surgery.
In other words, you will need three surgeries in which something can go wrong at any point. Currently you have healthy dental implants. If you give them up, you can no longer be sure of that. My suggestion is that you leave the current healthy implants where they are. If you ever need another dental implant and you want to try the zirconia, then I recommend you see an implant dentist who also provides metal free dental care.
This blog is brought to you by Moline Dentist Dr. Thomas Goebel.
Can I Switch Dentists In the Middle of My Dental implant Porcedure?
I’m not too thrilled with my implant dentist. I’m getting a dental implant and another tooth replaced with a Maryland Bridge. The bridge is done but it keeps falling off. This worries me. My dental implant case is planned out and I’m suposed to have the surgery in just a few days. However, I fear if he can’t do a dental bridge correctly, he will not be able to do the dental implant porcedure either. Is it too late to switch dentists for this?
Sean
Dear Sean,
I share your concern about your dentist. A dental implant porcedure is much more advanced that a Maryland Bridge. Plus, there is much more training for a dental bridge in dental school than there is for dental implants. To do it well requires post-doctoral training. There are way too many dental implant horror stories as a result of patients going to inexperienced dentists for this procedure.
It is not too late to switch dentists. In fact, you can switch during any procedure at any time. Your dentist is ethically obligated to share all his diagnostics and notes with whichever dentist you end up choosing.
It’s good that you are thinking this through now instead of after the implant surgery, where you would risk dental implant failure.
By the way, a dental implant is a fantastic choice for a tooth replacement. When done well, they are the closest thing to having a healthy, natural tooth in your mouth again.
This blog is brought to you by Moline Dentist Dr. Goebel.
Are Dental Implant Tax Deductable?
I’m scheduled for dental implant surgery tomorrow and it just occurred to me that it MIGHT be tax deductible. If so, is there anything I need to know or hoops I have to jump through? I’ve only got a day to figure this out.
Jake
Dear Jake,
You’ve made a great choice on your tooth replacement. Dental implants are the closest thing to having a healthy, natural tooth in your mouth again. Your question is also perfect timing for the end of the year! To answer your question, yes, dental implants can be tax deductible under IRS Topic 502: Medical and Dental Expenses. However, as you would expect with the government, there are some catches.
7.5% of Your Gross Income is the Magic Number
It’s not a straight forward deduct the cost of this procedure type of thing. First, you will have to itemize each expense. Then, you can only deduct the cost of what goes above 7.5%. Let’s say your gross income is $50,000 to make this simple. That means the first $3,750 you have to cover without claiming it. Anything over that is deductible.
The good news is this does not apply to individual procedures. You can itemize all your medical and dental expenses. Then, anything over whatever your magic number is will be what is deductible. Be aware, that whatever your insurance covers cannot be applied to the cost.
Consider an HSA for Next Year
Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) allow people to deduct pre-tax money to place into an account for use in medical and dental costs. Typically, these funds are placed on an HSA Debit Card that you can use with your medical and dental providers. Human resources should be able to set you up with one if you don’t have it already. This is just one more way to keep some of your hard earned money.
A word of warning for future readers. Tax laws change each year, but these are accurate as of the date at the top of this post. It is always best to check with a tax professional.
This blog is brought to you by Moline Dentist Dr. Thomas Goebel.