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What is the Cost of Implant Failure?

posted in Surgical Placement of Dental Implants, en

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Anon. asks:
I have been restoring implants for 10 years. I have been thinking about starting to place my own implants. I have taken the courses and feel confident to place implants in the very simple cases. I am also concerned, though, about the cost of implant failure. One noted speaker cautioned that each failed implant will cost me 5 successful implant cases. Is this true? Has anyone yet quantified the cost of implant failure?

6 Responses to “ What is the Cost of Implant Failure? ”

• Bruce McKelvy August 25th, 2009

  
  

  No one I know has quantified failure. The cost to you as a practioner may be loss of confidence (which may spread by word of mouth to immediate family and friends), loss of time, cost of new implant(s)and abutments etc. Dealing with a failed implant usually means removal, but surrounding bone may be destroyed(particularly buccal plate) which then necessitates grafts and membranes. So you must be prepared to deal with all contingencies.

• Dr.P August 25th, 2009

  
  

  Everyone has failures. I have learned more from my failures than my success. Every now and then you will meet someone who says they never get failures and try to scare you out of doing implants. They are the ones you need to avoid.

• Antonio Coppel August 26th, 2009

  
  

  In my opinion, there are two costs. First the patient is normally unhappy, so a cost in confidence. Second a cost in material (surgical disposables, the implant is normally replaced by the manufacturer)and time. If the failure happens when the final restoration has been placed, an extra cost of lab implant analogs, replicas and the lab costs.

• Dr. C August 26th, 2009

  
  

  Dr. Carl Misch gives a great lecture on the cost of failure. It is an eye opening and entertaining lecture. He actually puts $ figures on such an event. Everyone that does implants will experience failure. I disagree with Dr. P. that some dentists are trying to scare others away from doing implants - enough with the conspiracy theories. The take home message is that failures are costly (more than just economically). If you begin doing implants get a good education and begin with simple, straightforward cases. Don’t try to be a hero and go beyond your capabilities until you develop skill and judgment. Good Luck.

• Richard Hughes DDS, FAAID, FAAIP, Dipl.ABOI/ID August 27th, 2009

  
  

  Dr. C, You are correct. This is a subject that deserves more attention. I would not scare someone, but suggest that we as Docs be more selective in treatment. Failures are great teachers. We all have them.

• dr s. bayat August 28th, 2009

  
  

  I beleive that failure are costly and every body gets them,some have the luxury to get the basic failures under supervision in a residency program with really no legal and finnancial consequence, those are the lucky ones.
  but for the rest of us failures are legally finnancially and personnaly costly,so what to do.here my 2cents
  prepare plan and reprepare and replan everybody who has done implants will tell you that
  why not have a tutor for the first few (beleive me there are peaple in you region that are experimented and love implantology that would not mind
  why not have a classmate of yours where you got your trainig and do the first few together
  basically the idea is you can do it ,and like dental school where you were supervise to do a restoration it may not be a bad idea to get some coaching like every professional should have some will need it in the operatory room some will coach each other in study clubs.maybe this link can create a pool of available tutors. you may still have failures ,much less and you will understand why you had them and maybe have someone to comfort you

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