I want to get dental implants and there is a Clear Choice Dental Implant Center near me. I thought it would be a good idea to go someplace that focuses on the procedure I need, but someone recently told me they are unethical. Now I am torn. Should I go to Clear Choice for my dental implants or do I need to find somewhere else?
Samantha
Dear Samantha,
I could not say with certainty that every Clear Choice Dental Implant Center is unethical. I can tell you that I have concerns about their general practices. Here are some things to consider.
Because they are a corporate practice, there tends to be more emphasis on salesmanship and marketing. It is rarely a good idea to mix salesmanship with patient care. As dentists, our job is not to sell a procedure, but to treat the patient with the procedures they need, whatever that is. This leads me to a second concern. An inordinately high number of patients that go there are told that the procedures they need are to extract all their teeth and get the all-on-4 procedure.
This bothers me for a couple of reasons. First, I would want to make absolutely certain that none of those teeth can be saved. Natural teeth should always be preferred to even the best replacement option. I have heard patients say that only need six teeth replaced with dental implants and it was still recommended they extract all of them.
Second, they always seem to recommend the all-on-4 procedure, which has its downside. It is designed for patients who’ve lost a little bit of their bone structure but do not want to do bone grafting. If you NEED to remove all of your teeth, implant overdentures would be a better option. If one part of the until fails, you just replace that part. With the all-on-four, if one part fails you have to replace the whole thing.
Third, their pricing seems odd to me. In many locations, they price to compete with those who get bone grafting and implant overdentures. But, if you’re getting all-on-4, you don’t get the bone grafting. This seems like a way they pad their pockets.
Finally, their follow up care is non-existent. Once you have the procedure you are pretty much on your own.
My recommendation to you is to get your consult with Clear Choice, but DO NOT allow them to pressure you to commit to anything, which they will try to do. Then, see a private dentist with dental implant training. Whichever you think will be better at giving you the ideal treatment for your situation and will give you the follow up care you need is the one I say to stick with.
This blog is brought to you by Hoffman Estates Dentist Dr. William Becker.