Archives for March 2020

4 Suggestions to Get a Refund for Invisalign Treatment that Didn’t Work

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(Note – nothing in this post has anything to do with our practice. We do not know this patient and had nothing to do with her getting a refund. The person who wrote this post for us is not even in our office but is a remote free-lance writer that we have hired. We know nothing more about this case other than what is written here. The information is very helpful, but if you call us for more details, we regret that we will be unable to help you.)

In June 2018, I decided to get Invisalign to correct my midline and make room for veneers on my right and left lateral incisors to alter the shape. My dentist recommended Invisalign for 8 months. I finished the treatment, but my midline still wasn’t in the middle. So, my dentist ordered a new set of trays with the target of being completed in October 2019. And my midline still isn’t correct. Now I feel like I’ve wasted time and money.

My dentist admits that he is puzzled and can’t give me a reason that this isn’t working. I’ve paid over $4500 for treatment that didn’t work, and I still can’t get porcelain veneers until my midline is correct. Last month I had a consultation with an orthodontist, and she says that Invisalign won’t work for my case. She recommends low-profile braces instead. How do I get a refund? – Alayna from Huntsville, AL

Alayna,

Moving a midline can be complicated, and is probably not a case for Invisalign. Invisalign (or ClearCorrect, which we prefer) is an excellent treatment, but the company itself emphasizes that it isn’t right for every case where teeth need to be moved, and this is one of those cases where traditional braces are probably better. Invisalign leverages one tooth against another to straighten them. But moving a midline requires moving all the teeth in one direction.

Having said that, Invisalign and other types of invisible braces are often downplayed by orthodontists. Sometimes it’s because general and cosmetic dentists receive training to place non-traditional braces, and orthodontists are protective of their status and specialty.

Three verticle photos of a woman progressivly putting Invisalign trays on her teeth.

Advanced cosmetic dentists get great results with invisible braces

At times traditional braces are the most predictable way to move teeth, but invisible braces also work if you’re willing to accept the limitations. Many patients who refuse traditional braces prefer Invisalign or other brands of invisible braces, even if the results aren’t as exact as conventional braces. They just don’t want the hardware on their teeth. But a dentist, in accepting a case like that, should be forthright in explaining the limitations. It doesn’t look like that happened in your case.

Getting a Refund for Faulty Invisalign Treatment

So you’re in a situation now where you feel like you should get a refund. From what you’ve told us about your case, that sounds reasonable. Here’s how to go about that.

The reaction you’ll get when you request a refund depends on the dentist. Some are responsive and cooperative with refund requests, but others may become angry. Anticipate a negative response and consider the suggestions below.

  1. Be polite but straightforward in requesting a refund.
  2. If you are turned down, ask your new dentist or orthodontist to call and request a refund for you. If your Invisalign provider recognizes that another dentist is calling for you, it may help him see that your refund request is worthy of consideration.
  3. If that doesn’t work, tell your first Invisalign dentist that you will file a complaint with the state dental board and follow through.
  4. Hire a malpractice attorney.

Be polite but firm throughout the process.

This post is sponsored by Steven Brooksher, DDS, of Baton Rouge, LA. Read our Invisalign page to learn why he prefers ClearCorrect to Invisalign.

Need Teeth Extracted Before Dentures? 3 Facts to Consider Before Visiting an Oral Surgeon

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I hate the thought of wearing dentures at 50, but most of my teeth are missing. The few that are left have deep decay. The drama with my teeth comes from years of neglect when I was younger. Now I’m stable and can afford to do something about my teeth and smile. I guess I have a little less anxiety about dental appointments than when I was younger, but I’m concerned about having any type of surgery. I’m wondering if I should see an oral surgeon first and get the remaining teeth pulled or if I should go to a dentist and let him refer me to an oral surgeon. Thanks. Brad from AR

Brad,

There dentists who can do both—extract your teeth and provide you with dentures. Extractions before dentures are not complicated, and many general dentists do both.

  • Search online for a dentist with at least several years of experience.
  • Call their offices and ask how the dentist handles cases when a patient needs extractions before dentures.
  • The office representative’s answer will explain if the dentist completes extractions and provides dentures.
  • If you choose a dentist who refers patients to an oral surgeon for extractions, he or she will coordinate your care.

Relieving Your Anxiety

As you call dental offices, ask an additional question: What does the dentist do to calm anxious patients? Many dentists are gentle and successful in helping patients relax and receive painless treatment. Others offer sedation dentistry, which is anti-anxiety medication—varying in different strengths depending on your anxiety and the procedure you’ll receive.

Some Advice on Stabilizing Your Dentures

A common source of anxiety about dentures is fear of them clicking, sliding around, or falling out. If your budget allows, consider stabilizing your dentures with dental implants.

What Are Implants?

Diagram of a snap-on denture. The denture is hovering above the jawbone that has two dental implants in it.

Affordable dental implants will secure your dentures

Implants are small screws that are embedded in your jawbone like tooth roots. But when all your teeth are missing, implants are used to support your denture. Your implant dentist can attach an arch of replacement teeth—or a denture—to at least two dental implants.

Benefits of Implant Overdentures

  • Minimize denture movement. Dental implants anchor a denture. And with four to six implants, you’ll have minimal movement with your denture, and it will feel more like your natural teeth. It’s much easier to bite and chew food with stable implant overdentures.
  • Preserve your facial features. You’re only 50 years old. The longer you wear dentures, the more your jawbone will shrink. Natural teeth stimulate the bone and prevent it from shrinking. But dentures don’t stimulate your jawbone; they put pressure on it and make it shrink faster. Dental implants rescue your jawbone from shrinking away and making your face sag prematurely.
  • Provide a better experience overall. Most fears about wearing dentures are related to how much they will move and shift in your mouth and how they will look. Cosmetic dentists are skilled at providing dentures that look like natural teeth.

If you search for and find an implant dentist with cosmetic dentistry skills, it will erase most—if not all—your worries about dentures.

Take time to find a dentist who will correctly and beautifully restore your smile.

Steven Brooksher, DDS is a cosmetic and implant dentist in Baton Rouge, LA. Read about his credentials and visit his smile gallery. It will give you ideas on what to look for in a dentist in your area.

He Ordered a Partial Denture Directly from a Lab and Wants a Refund

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About 7 years ago, I got a partial denture from my dentist that was excellent in quality. I know what lab he ordered it from, so this time I decided to order it myself directly from the lab. I requested the partial in January, and since that time, I’ve had so many complications. I’m beginning to wish that I just replaced my tooth with a dental implant. I was trying to save time and money. The partial denture replaces a front tooth, but it’s is loose and won’t stay fastened to the tooth to the left of the missing one. I can feel the partial rocking. I think there is too much plastic backing on it.

Of course, I returned to the lab to get it corrected. A lab tech ground down a tooth to try to improve my bite, but the clasp on the partial is on that same tooth, which is too small to hold the clasp. The denture plate is too short, and it is irritating the area where my tooth is missing. I’ve returned to the lab five times for this issue. During the last visit, the office manager told me that they would give me a 15% refund if I agreed not to return. I’m ashamed to see my dentist about this issue. I don’t want a 15% refund. I want all my money back. What are my options? – Thanks. Lennox from GA

Lennox,

We understand why you want a refund. But we don’t fully understand your description of the problems you’re having with your bite and discomfort from the plate of the partial denture. Dr. Brooksher would need to examine your partial denture to determine everything that’s causing your discomfort. But there are some issues we will address.

When a Partial Denture Rocks

What causes instability and rocking in a partial denture?

  • The rocking you describe results from a distorted framework in the partial denture.
  • If a dentist or lab tech doesn’t take impressions of your teeth and mouth correctly, the framework, which uses those impressions as a model, won’t fit.
  • A dentist—not a lab tech—has the experience and training to take accurate impressions that replicate your teeth and oral anatomy. Impressions from your dentist help the lab tech make a precise framework for your partial denture. Lab techs are not trained to take impressions, and it’s illegal for them to do so.
Picture of a partial denture witha plastic base and clasps

Partial denture with plastic clasps

Diagram of a partial denture with a metal clasp

Partial denture with metal clasps

How to Get Your Money Back from a Poor-Fitting Partial Denture

The lab tech should not have taken the dental impressions for your partial denture. The solution?

Threaten to report the tech to the state dental board. It may seem unfair to report the lab tech to the dental board because you asked him to make a partial denture and bypassed your dentist. But the technician knew what you didn’t: It is illegal for technicians to take impressions of your teeth and mouth. In addition to threatening to report the incident to the state dental board, you can tell the tech that you’ll volunteer to be a witness for the prosecuting attorney. Likely, the lab will readily give you a full refund.

We hope this is a teaching moment for all patients who are tempted to bypass their dentist and order dental restorations directly from a lab.

What About a Dental Implant?

Diagram of the phases of a dental implant for a comparison to a partial denture.

A dental implant is embedded in your jawbone to replace a missing tooth

If you’re undecided about whether to get another partial denture or a dental implant, no other form of tooth replacement is more effective than an implant. Unlike a partial denture, a dental implant has features that make it look and feel natural:

  • It’s a titanium screw that an oral surgeon or implant dentist will embed in your jawbone like a tooth root.
  • Implants fuse with your jawbone to anchor the replacement tooth.
  • An implant stands alone. There are no clasps that put pressure on adjacent teeth.
  • Your implant dentist will attach a dental crown to the top of the implant. It replaces the part of your tooth above the gumline.

But your outcome with a dental implant depends on the skill of the dentist who places it and restores it with a dental crown. Look for an experienced, highly skilled implant dentist. Don’t bypass any aspects of treatment or take shortcuts this time. Dental implant mistakes can be disastrous, and you’ll have to start the entire process again.

 

This post is sponsored by Steven Brooksher, DDS, a Baton Rouge dentist and a fellow of the International Congress of Oral Implantologists.