Please stay away for your own good, I wish I had!!
I am a former patient of Smile Implant Center and want to warn everyone to please do yourself a favor and stay away from this crook. I had a full mouth restoration performed in February 2012, and paid $25,000 to Smile upfront. Actually in January of 2102 they had the full payment, over a month before the procedure. I was supposed to receive my final prosthesis in October of 2012 but after months trying to get Smile to complete everything I have given up. In email conversations with Dr Teich from Jan 2013 his final response to my complaints and lack of follow thru from the office was "if I put a bullet in my brain would you finally be happy?" Really? Would you lay back in a chair and let that that man touch you with sharp instruments? I have sores in my cheeks from poor fitting temporary dentures, implants that are still sore and bleeding and the most terrible fit you can imagine, an incredible overbite that keeps me from biting anything and more food gets trapped between my dentures and gums than goes down my throat. I usually just give up eating before getting full due to the discomfort and embarrassment. I have much more to post but will wait until a later date as I am going to see dental board recommended certified specialists in the next few weeks to see what my treatment plan will be to complete everything that Dr. Teich butchered. If anyone would like to respond or speak with me I would be happy to help. Good luck folks, but please for your own good STAY AWAY FROM SMILE IMPLANT CENTER AND DR.THOMAS TEICH.
Posted on 2/10/2013
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Massage from Dr.Teich
Dear Patients and Friends,
My name is Dr. Thomas Teich and I am the owner and founder of the Smile Implant Center that started 11 years ago. I opened the business myself and for the first 6 months I was the only employee. I answered the phones in the beginning and made all the appointments I set up and sterilized the instruments and did everything myself. Over those years from 2002 through 2008 our office was located in Santa Ana on Bristol Street and grew gradually and consistently by providing care to patients with a small staff in a small facility. At this office when we moved we had seen over 10,000 patients. This was a small office and it was personally possible for me to start and oversee all the patients treatment that was done here with great success and personal attention to everyone's case.
In 2009 we moved to a Newport Beach location much larger than this original office. We experienced a large phase of expansion over the past few years. During this expansion I became the primary implant surgeon at the center. I was doing surgeries 4 sometimes 5 days a week. This was the primary beginning stage of the treatment. We expanded and increased the number other staff members and doctors to finishing the final stages of the implant treatment. Thousands of patients were started and completed with no delays or problems. Some of the patients that had complicated treatment plans and in my opinion did not get to a final stage of treatment in what I believe was a reasonable period of time. I saw this trend increasing in the treatment cycle time of some of our implant patients after we moved and expanded our operation. Most all implant cases take a minimum of 6 months treatment. Some cases involving sinus bone grafts and take up to one and a half to two years to complete. Some of the cases at our Newport location were taking longer.
After I identified this trend I made a decision over the past year to systematically reduced the number of staff and the number of doctors that are working at the center in an effort to allow me to get the office to the point that I could supervise and direct all the patients treatment from start to finish. I also decreased the number of new patients that we were starting treatment. I knew this change in the treatment delivery system was a necessary modification in the way we were completing treatment cases on patients. This accounts for some of the reasons that appointments were more difficult to get and it was harder to call the office and get a response.
The past 4 weeks our remaining staff have all helped to relocate back to the original smaller office in Santa Ana where we started in in 2002. This transition took longer than planned and disrupted treatment on our patients and telephone systems in ways that were not anticipated. I sincerely apologize for the frustrations and problems many of you had due to this relocation. The main computer systems were just finally moved last Thursday night and are still getting them reconfigured to work properly. We are not closing our office or going out of business.
All of your charts and lab work are still organized and available to move to the next phase of your treatment. I am the only doctor working at this time and plan to personally review and oversee the completion of all the patients that have additional treatment needed. This will take additional time because I wish to schedule patients so they do not have to go through the long waiting periods that some experienced at the Newport facility. I want to help to finish everyone's treatment as soon as possible. I am willing to work 6 days a week if necessary to get everyone completed. If you will allow me to do this I need your help.
I please ask your assistance in helping me manage your case in the following way.
Send me an email directly to me at drteich@smileimplantcenter.com giving me the following information:
1. Your full name first, last and middle initial.
2. Your date of birth (we have duplicate name patients and this is how we locate records)
3. The city and state you are located .
4 If you use email please include your best email address.
5. The best phone number to return a call to you
6. A summary of the treatment you have had and what you believe you need or a description of the problem you are having.
7. If you want a phone call from me please let me know this also.
I will receive all these emails personally. I review your chart and laboratory case and return an email to let you know what the best plan is to move forward with your situation. If you want to call me my personally cell phone is 714-403-7442. If I am not sleeping or seeing patients I will answer your call. The best way for me to help you is to get the above information first and review your case and chart before we speak on the phone. I am willing to talk to any patient personally on the phone if this is what you want and prefer this over email correspondence.
Please help me help you. I am here for everyone and not going anywhere except back to the new office. We all wish to thank all of our patients over all the years for allowing all of us to provide your dental treatment. I know things did not go smoothly lately but please be patient and I promise this will change soon and everyone will be completed.
Thank you,
Dr. Thomas Teich
Smile Implant Center
2740 South Bristol Street Suite 200
Santa Ana, California 92704
www.smileimplantcenter.com
Posted on 11/20/2012
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Avoid-Ripoff-about to file suits malpractice for damage- plus paid contract not honored
Sadly, six months ago I referred someone there, SO IT ISNT JUST ME-- just went to visit, 2 HOURS AGO- totally different address. A dump in santa ana. Different people. Salespeople pressuring others for money up front. (They did the same to us but it was more subtle and it seemed reasonable based on a nice place and seemingly ok other clients) NOW THEY ARENT HONORING THESE PREPAYMENTS AND WANT MORE MONEY. I WAS VERY SPECIFIC ABOUT WHAT I WAS PAYING FOR AND THERE IS NO QUESTION THIS IS A RIPOFF. I WAS HESITANT ABOUT PAYING FOR THE CROWN AND ALL THAT WENT WITH IT IN
ADVANCE, BUT THEY WOULDNT DO THE SURGERY WITHOUT IT AND THEY SEEMED LEGIT
THEY WERE NOT. THEY STOLE MY MONEY. THEY ARE NOT PERFORMING UNDER THEIR CONTRACT
IF ANYONE HAS OR WANTS TO JOIN A CLASS ACTION ---PLEASE CONTACT ME IF POSSIBLE
I might have thought they were economizing, until my paid in full contract, suddenly became void and they wanted more money now that my teeth were out and the implants grown in.
I paid thousands and have a contract stating that everything including the crowns, buildup all tests lab work, impressions, diagnostics, etc was paid in full. Payment in advance for everything was required, nothing would be done until the entire thing was paid.
They are now demanding more money, just a few weeks ago I visited the normal office, they stalled and gave a small cut in my gum they said had to heal first. (previous implant elsewhere worked around that time and did the imprint then...but not these guys.
No word of future payments, no word of move or restructure.
Dont recognize any of the staff at the new place. They assured me it was the same company but its just a bizarre difference.
I'M TAKING THEM TO COURT. I was very very specific when signing the contract and paying about what was covered.
My referral is running into problems too, and they paid over 10,000 in advance and have all their teeth pulled. even the healthy ones. They are over a barrel. this place already pulled a contract switch and didnt honor doing some other work they agreed to. got a new contract signed saying the prepayment had been used for something else...It was signed while the patient was under sedation and unable to read. they were told it was a consent to surgery that had been forgotten, then presented it when they showed up for their other dental work.
They also are upstairs in a building withhout a working elevator. If you cant walk two flights of stairs, then you are out of luck. My referral cant and no refunds are given.
Does anyone know of a class action going on? we'd like to join it. We also had an instance of waking up during the oral surgery, with the novocain worn off. wouldnt give more meds to sleep. wouldnt give more novocain, continued operating. told us to be quiet as patient was screaming in pain for being operated o Implaake without novocain. Would have sued already except for this huge payment in advance.
They were in a large nice place with many employees, and seemed like a stable business or we wouldnt have paid in advance. My referral has a detailed rview on Yahoo.
AVOID OR LOSE YOUR MONEY... IM NOT SURE THE SANTA ANA PLACE IS EVEN SAFE TO BE OPERATED ON. FROM SOME OF THE OTHER REVIEWS IT LOOKS LIKE THEY DIDNT REALLY MOVE. OR HAVE LOCATIONS FOR BEFORE AND AFTER PAYMENT.
THIS IS JUST WRONG. I WAS WITH MY REFERRAL WHEN THEY TOOK HER MONEY AND SHE EVEN TOLD THEM IT WAS EVERY PENNY OF HER LIFE SAVINGS. THEY TOOK IT ANYWAY, SHE IS DISABLED, HAD A FEW REALLY DEAD TEETH FROM INJURY BUT ALSO HAD LOTS OF WORKING CROWNED OR NORMAL ONES THAT COULD HAVE BEEN SAVED, BUT THEY PULLED THEM ALL AND NOW SHE IS TOOTHLESS, BROKE, AND CANT GET IN THEIR OFFICE. I KNOW THIS PERSONALLY AND IT IS PART OF MY EXPERIENCE WITH THEM. I WOULDNT PUT IT DOWN OTHERWISE
i'M RIPPED OFF, I WOULDNT LET THEM TAKE MY LIVE TEETH ONLY TWO DEAD ONES THAT AT LEAST HAD CROWNS ..THE CROWNS WERENT ATTCHED AND COULDNT BE ATTACHED. BUT NOW LIKE MY REFERRAL, I HAVE NO TEETH THERE, I DO HAVE AN IMPLANT BASE, AT LEAST I THINK THATS WHAT IT IS. SORRY CAPS BUT I REALLY DO WANT TO SHOUT. I NEVER WRITE BAD REVIEWS BUT THIS IS CRIMINAL. ZERO STARS IF I COULD.
AGAIN, IF YOU KNOW OF OR WANT TO BE IN A CLASS ACTION, I WANT TO FORM OR JOIN ONE TOO. PLEASE GET IN TOUCH. OR IF YOU ARE AN ATTORNEY WHO CAN HELP FILE ONE WHO HAPPENS ACCROSS THIS.
Posted on 11/12/2012
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Smile Implant Center saved me money and gave me great One Day Service! I recommend them for sure!!
I would recommend this doctor to anyone and everyone who has dentures or missing teeth! They have real pretty waiting rooms high up overlooking Newport Bay and color TVs, comfortable furniture but the great part is they have low prices compared with everyone else around Orange County and their service almost 100% painless. I am so impressed amd my new implants work fabulously well too. I got my implants in ONE DAY. That was good for my impatient character and the price was right too, much lower than any other place I inquired to in Orange County.
Posted on 12/12/2011
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I have no hesitation in recommending the Smile Implant Cente
As you know, the success of any organization depends on the people working there.
I recently had six teeth extracted, six implants done, and a Phonare bridge installed to the implants.
I was so impressed with Dr. Garry Jones and the work that he did, that I wanted to drop you a note to that fact.
Dr. Jones’ success is due, not only to his technical abilities, which are unparalleled, but just as importantly kept me informed every step of the way in a manner that quieted my anxieties and kept me relaxed the whole time.
This letter wouldn’t be complete if I did not acknowledge your own capabilities. It only takes about two minutes to see that you are extremely knowledgeable and competent in the field of implant surgery. I’m sure that you would be extremely successful in any endeavor that you choose. My background is that I have a Bachelor’s degree from Yale University and a Ph.D. in Executive Management from the Claremont Graduate School. I retired after 32 years with Boeing Co. where I have had ample time to judge organizational performance as Mgr. Business Development.
Again, thank you for the work done by you and your staff, and I have no hesitation in recommending the Smile Implant Center to those that need implant surgery.
Dr. Gerald Carey
Posted on 12/2/2011
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Beware of this Dental Mill House.
I went in for the Free Consultation and they asked for a copy of my Drivers License, and like an idiot I gave it to them, However; I didn’t authorized them to run a credit check, but they did anyways, I’ve been calling them to have someone tell me why they did this, and of course no ones has or will call back. Their establishment is ran like a Dental Mill House, shove you in and move you out. My advise to anyone would be to get treatment at a reputable Dentistry.
Posted on 4/22/2011
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I have had nothing but good experiences with the Smile Implant Center. In 2005, the doctor did an implant for me, a very nice job. I was already scheduled for an appointment with another dentist, but my very good friend mentioned the Smile Implant Center. He said to give it a try, so I went and they treated me so well, and the price was so much better, that I said no, I’m not going to leave this place. They did a great job. Then four years later I had a problem with the implant. So I went in to have it taken care of, and you know what he charges me? $0. Who else does that? And he didn’t just do it for me. They stand by their service. The staff there is so professional, so nice, so knowledgeable. And fast. You’re in and out and out the door. I am so comfortable there now, I honestly feel like I’m walking into my own home. They know what they’re doing and they take care of you very, very professionally. I have recommended him to over 50 people, all my family and friends, and I haven’t heard a single complaint. They are all happy. I really want to congratulate the Smile Implant Center on doing such a fine job.
Posted on 12/23/2010
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With my dental implant, my nightmare of my tooth is over with. I lost one tooth and another was slowly dying. Now I’m 51 and it finally died. All of a sudden my tooth came out, just a clean, dead tooth. My dentist gave me a name of an oral surgeon. I was figuring out how this worked, thinking I gotta go to the oral surgeon, then he does his thing, then I go back to my dentist. He does this thing. I’m doing this back and forth stuff. I’m a tennis player and I talk to ladies on the tennis courts. Some have had dental implants and they’ve been back and forth to so many appointments. I just didn’t have time for that. I found out about Smile Implant Center, I called and they immediately got me in within a week. They have this treatment plan where they do scans and x-rays and everything so they can find out what’s going on with you and what you actually need for them to do the right procedure for you and do it in a timely manner. I loved it. I came here; they did it. I didn’t have to go see this person and that person. And they just did it right here at the Center. And they did a beautiful job. The main thing is you want convenience. You want it to be easy. You don’t want to be nervous and scared and all that and I wasn’t. And they took care of me. Plus, they totally want to make sure no one knows you have a dental implant. It all blends in. No one can tell. My daughter came back from college and she couldn’t tell which tooth was my dental implant. This new technology of dental implants is just wonderful. Don’t all of you remember going to grandma’s house and seeing her teeth in a cup of Efferdent solution? Well that’s all gone. You don’t have to do that. There’s no maintenance with dental implants. It’s your tooth. It’s really your tooth. It’s there forever. It doesn’t come out. It doesn’t need to soak in a cup. And that’s why it’s so much better than dentures. There’s no maintenance with it. There’s none at all. Once it’s implanted, it is your mouth. It is your tooth forever. There’s no more worries. And it’s terrific. I’m so happy. Dental implants are today and they are the future and they are awesome.
Posted on 12/23/2010
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As I'm writing to all of you consumers, I'm waiting in a room with my father waiting for the finished product that never fits well in his mouth. Both mouth pieces are either too big or teeth chip and break . Excuses and runner's is what they give you. Everything they promise up front is the complete opposite of what they deliver. This is about our 15th time here since July of 2010. If you were to sit in their waiting room of 12 to 15 people waiting (either get serviced for existing work or a new customer) you will notice people complaining left and right. Different people work on you everytime you come in and nobody gets the story right. I cant even write right now cause Im beyond myself not knowing how to defend my father since he paid them upfront 29K. There is a reason why they're 5 stars on here and then 1 to 2. They write their own 5 star reviews. My advice before you pay them one penny, is to come sit in the waiting room and question the people waiting. Its a no brainer. You will run out and never go back. There is a reason why they advertise so heavily on TV. I tried to talk my father out of this, but he wouldnt listen. This is only 5% of my experience here.
Posted on 11/22/2010
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I started searching the internet for dental implants and found Smile Implant Center. I called them up to set up an appointment, just to see if I could afford it. They said to come on in and talk to them and we’d work something out. I got a little nervous coming in, because you usually get a big long needle when you go to the dentist’s office. But they told me it would all be done with medication, no needles. I came in on the 29th of March and the whole procedure was done by the 30th of March. And I have had no pain whatsoever from that day to this. Every time I see them my family and friends now, they say, “Show me that smile!” And of course I have to do it because it makes me happy. I’m smiling more. And I’ve gained five pounds since they put the implants in because I’m eating more and eating better. It’s like the difference between night and day.
Posted on 9/30/2010
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I found this wonderful dental implant clinic, the Smile Implant Center in Newport Beach. They specialize in doing dental implants. It is a very large clinic located in a fancy part of Newpoprt Beach right on the water but their prices are much lower than any other similar places I checked out. I had two front teeth that had to be extracted replaced with perfect looking, perfect working implants. I had no pain and nobody can tell my front teeth are not "mine". What a great place. I am so glad I found them. They made it so easy to. They took the X-rays and started my worki the fiorst day they saw me and my im[lants were in my mouth in a couple of weeks instead of the six months I hag heard peole talk about. I would recommend them highly to anyone who needs implants especially to people woried about cost.
Posted on 8/22/2010
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My personal experience with the Smile Implant Center and the dental work that was done here at the Smile Implant Center, I can't say enough good things, the fact of the matter is aesthetically the implant supported dentures on the upper and lower are fabulous the fact is they are functional, the retention is there, there are no wobbly loose teeth, everything is in place as it ought to be, it just makes life a joy, on every single level, these denture implanted supports are fabulous, I'm very very happy.
Part of it is, I was so happy with the upper when it was done that that, it was the impetus to go ahead and do the bottom. Because I could have had only a couple of implants if I chose to do that, but I said do the whole thing and load them all on titanium. And that’s exactly what they did. So the teeth stay in. Teeth that don’t come out.
At the Smile Implant Center, the diagnostic consultation, all of the imaging modalities, computer tomography or CT as it’s often referred to which of course is a very elegant imaging modality, X-ray, the lab and important to all of this the people that understand the imaging, that understand laboratory science and dental laboratory prosthetics and of course all the implant choices are available and everything is under one roof.
Posted on 8/20/2010
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My wife and I met while in the military during the Viet Nam War. We were both career military people and both of us suffered from poor Army dentistry performed way back in the 1960 and 1970s. My wife's teeth basically failed about three years ago and she was told she needed to have them all extracted and she would need false teeth. She was very, very upset and did not want teeth that came out at night, were difficult to eat with and so forth. Our dentist told us she might be able to get implants that were permanent, al;most like her original teeth but stronger but the cost quoted to us was almost $100,000! W even went to Mexico where they do cheap dentistry in Tiajuana and they wanted $50,000 there and the place we went looked dirty and run down.
My wife works in the Post Office in Irvine and one of her co-workers told her to check with the Smile Implant Center ion Newport Beach although they were near South Coast Plaza when we first went there. Boy oh boy am I glad we listened to that advice. For much less money than even charged in Mexico my wife got beautiful implants that look better than her real teeth ever did. When we first went to the center they charged nothing to do the X-Rays and exams and "studies" of how to make her teeth look and work so well. The Smile Implant Center specializes in Implants so I think and my friends think that they do a better, faster and less expensive "re-modeling of a person's teeth. My wife said none of the work the center did was painful. Besides X-rays, there anesthesia is free also. They didn't charge us for follow up visits for the next year either and all my wife has to do now is go in for a cleaning once a year.
We would recommend Smile Implant Center to everyone who needs implants. I plan to get my own "set" before Christmas this year. We also found out that they even give you free credit for a year t make their low prices even easier to use. What a great place to have in our Orange County community!
Posted on 8/12/2010
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My regular dentist. I asked them about it because I didn’t know about you folks and he said that he’d heard about you. Since you’re quite a bit less expensive, he said go for it.He was willing to do it but I was looking for someone who could do quality service at a reasonable price. I had two implants done on the lower left side, on the lower left mandible. I had a bridge there for years and years, almost twenty years. It broke one day. And then what happened was that one of the teeth all of a sudden became a little loose. It was pulled and I had that gap there. And said, “What am I going to do?” I didn’t want another bridge because they’re gonna clear with a brace on this tooth. Therefore I asked for what my options are. They said we can give you an implant. And after I had talked to them about an implant, I had heard your advertisement here on the radio and I decided to try and see what this is about. That is another reason why I chose. Because they seem to have more practice, more expertise. Well it’s primarily I based it on service and price. Make sure they do a good job. That’s part of the service. And the price is competitive and that’s good.
Posted on 8/11/2010
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I was at my family reunion when I was eating on a rib and bit on a bone. I just heard my teeth go crack and I knew I had broken my teeth. I went to a dentist there, but they told me that they could not do anything because would take me too long there and I had to fly back home. So when I went to the dentist here, they pulled the roots out and I asked the dentist about implants. He said I could not afford them and that my insurance wouldn’t pay for them. When I left, I got in the car and heard the commercial for the Smile Implant Center on the radio. I pulled over and wrote the number down, then I took my cell phone and I called. I had just had my teeth pulled. I didn’t have any teeth in my mouth and I hated that. So I asked them how soon I could get some teeth and they said they would not leave me toothless. They would put two teeth in my mouth right away! And they didn’t ask me if I could afford it. They explained everything and told me how much it would cost. I could have walked off then if I didn’t want it and it wouldn’t have cost me anything. So it was up to me to accept or not. They all treated me very nice. I couldn’t ask for better treatment. I come in and they know me.
009056 Perkins L
Posted on 6/26/2010
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The TV commercial states "walk in with dentures, leave with permanent teeth".
I when to this facility because my removable dentures were painful. I was informed it would cost $12,000 for a full upper permanent teeth. These teeth would be installed in 3 sections. They installed a permanent denture which is uneven and painful. They should be closed down.
Posted on 4/12/2010
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Horrible experience! This is a Soviet-style assembly line of patients. I ran out of pain killers and antibiotics and tried for 3 days to get a doctor to call in a refill. I finally had to see my local dentist as an emergency patient. I paid an extra $100 to have them file my insurance--highway robbery! After 3 months of unanswered phone msgs, they finally filed the paperwork. I wrote a two-page letter to Dr. Teich complaining of his dentists' insensitivity to their patients and his staff's inability to return phone calls. I never received any response from him. I may have saved $1000 on an implant, but it wasn't worth the hassles I encountered. BTW, they advertise an implant for $899 and one day service--don't count on it--that's the hook to draw you in. Mine was $2200 and 10 months for completion. Don't waste your money or your time in this "practice".
Posted on 2/14/2010
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This business is located in a beautiful building overlooking Newport bay. Do not let the surroundings deceive you. You can plan on spending up to 12 hours the day of your surgery and not knowing which doctor and/or doctors will work on you while you are sedated. Try to get a list of all of the dentists that work there if you can.
Taking teeth out and immediately placing implants is not the best practice. Dry sockets often develop and they are worse than a root canal any day. I believe I had two of them. They do not use dissolvable stitches and the stitches are left long and catch anything you eat.
It takes up to 8 months for the implant crowns to be placed. I found it very frustrating to try and get someone to answer my questions after surgery.
Other places will give you more personalized treatment.
Posted on 2/4/2010
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I went to the Smile Implant Center because the cost of acquiring two dental implants was less than other dentists. Unfortunately, my experience was not a pleasant one. I was there for 12 hours on the day of my surgery and woke while they were suturing my mouth. They extracted two teeth and immediately placed the implant posts. Within a day I knew something was very wrong because of the excruciating pain I was in.
I went back and they couldn't give me any explanation for why I was in pain and did not offer to do anything about it.
Months later I am still having problems with the area that was sutured. Unwisely, I paid for the whole treatment through Care Credit and now have to go through a hassle to get a refund.
I will go to an oral surgeon (the doctors at Smile Implant Center do not have degrees in oral surgery) to see what can be done to repair the problem and finish the rest of the implant procedure. I am afraid to return to the dentist who created the problem because he ignored me for months and I do not want to trust him again.
Beware of lower prices as it may cost you more in stress and pain later.
Posted on 1/28/2010
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