Becky Carroll, a 52-year-old woman from New Jersey, sought a transformative solution for her damaged and missing teeth when she saw a commercial for ClearChoice Dental Implant Centers, advertising “a new smile in as little as one day.” Carroll, who had been self-conscious about her smile for years, decided to invest in a full set of prosthetic teeth, costing her $31,000. What followed, she said, was a nightmare.
According to Carroll’s claims in a lawsuit, her anesthesia wore off during surgery, causing her to be conscious as titanium screws were drilled into her jaw. Post-surgery, her new teeth were misaligned, leaving her unable to chew properly for more than two years. Eventually, Carroll had to pay for corrective surgery at a different clinic.
ClearChoice, which specializes in full-arch implants, denies these allegations and has not responded to specific questions about the ongoing lawsuit. Despite her ordeal, Carroll said she regrets not choosing a more conservative dental option, such as having her teeth repaired rather than extracted.
The popularity of dental implants has surged over the past several decades, offering a solution for patients with missing or severely damaged teeth. While implants can provide a durable, aesthetically pleasing replacement for natural teeth, experts are raising alarms about their overuse. Some worry that the growing trend of removing healthy teeth for implants is driven by financial incentives rather than patient necessity.
In a detailed investigation by KFF Health News and CBS News, dental experts expressed concern that a significant number of patients are being advised to undergo unnecessary implant procedures. They argue that many of these patients could have preserved their natural teeth through more traditional methods like root canals or crowns. Several experts pointed out that implants can lead to complications such as infections, bone loss, and a lack of future treatment options, as natural teeth are permanently removed.
“Many of these teeth could be saved, but implants are more profitable for some dental providers,” said William Giannobile, dean of the Harvard School of Dental Medicine. He and other experts noted that a misconception is growing among patients, fueled by marketing, that implants are a superior and permanent solution to natural teeth. In reality, implants require ongoing maintenance, and some can fail due to infections or bone loss.
The growing concern is not just about the overuse of implants, but the qualifications of dentists performing the surgeries. Many general dentists, who may not have specialized training in implant procedures, are now offering implants, often as part of larger corporate chains. This has led to an increase in botched surgeries, some of which have left patients needing further corrective procedures.
One such case involved a Texas woman who alleged that an Affordable Care dentist extracted all her teeth unnecessarily. Similar lawsuits across the country highlight concerns about sales-driven practices at some implant clinics. In these cases, patients often meet with salespeople, not dentists, before agreeing to expensive financing plans for full-arch implants.
Experts worry that the rise in corporate-owned dental chains, many backed by private equity, has intensified the pressure on general dentists to perform these procedures, sometimes leading to unnecessary extractions. According to a report by iData Research, sales of dental implants have grown steadily, with over 3.7 million implants sold in the U.S. in 2022. Yet, as implant procedures become more commonplace, dental professionals caution that not all patients are good candidates for implants, especially those who have otherwise healthy teeth that could be saved with less invasive treatments.
In response to mounting concerns, some states have started requiring additional training for dentists who wish to perform implant surgeries. Oregon, for example, now mandates 56 hours of hands-on training before dentists can place implants, a regulation prompted by a rise in botched surgeries and patient complaints.
Despite the push for more rigorous standards, the market for dental implants remains lucrative. ClearChoice, a leading provider of full-arch implants, has expanded under the ownership of private equity firms, fueling both concerns about overuse and criticisms of profit-driven practices in dental care.
For patients like Becky Carroll, the promise of a quick, all-in-one solution to dental problems has turned into a costly and painful ordeal, leaving them questioning whether the rush for implants is worth the risk. “It was horrendous dentistry,” Carroll said of her experience, adding that she wished she had explored other options before committing to the procedure.
As implant procedures continue to rise in popularity, experts are urging both patients and dental professionals to consider the long-term implications of removing healthy teeth and to prioritize the preservation of natural dental health when possible.
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