Amid a boom in the implant industry, some dentists in the United States are removing teeth that do not need to be extracted, according to a one-month investigation by CBS News and KFF Health News.
KFF, a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues, found several instances where dentists extracted healthy teeth unnecessarily.
“There are many cases where teeth, they’re perfectly fine, and they’re being removed unnecessarily,” William Giannobile, dean of the Harvard School of Dental Medicine, told CBS and KFF.
“I really hate to say it, but many of them are doing it because these procedures, from a monetary standpoint, they’re much more beneficial to the practitioner,” Giannobile added.
10 experts interviewed
The investigation featured interviews with 10 experts who provided second opinions for patients recommended for full-mouth implants. Many of these recommendations, they warned, were unnecessary.
One such case was Becky Carroll, who replaced all her natural upper teeth with implants at a New Jersey clinic in 2021 for $31,000. Carroll later suffered painful complications requiring corrective surgery. She said she regrets not following her dentist’s original advice to save her teeth.
Carroll has since filed a lawsuit against the clinic, alleging malpractice. Similar lawsuits are emerging across the U.S., accusing dentists of pressuring or misleading patients into unnecessary extractions.
Dental implant industry booming
The investigation noted that the U.S. dental implant market, worth more than $5 billion, has grown by 6% annually. ClearChoice, the clinic involved in Carroll’s case, was acquired for $1.1 billion in 2020, according to PitchBook. ClearChoice denies Carroll’s claims of malpractice in court filings.
(Figures in this report are reported in US dollars)
