Implant questions

Summary of My Implant Issues

• History of implants:
• I’ve had a total of three successful implants over the years. A fourth implant did not integrate and failed. Recently, one of the original three implants fell out, and another one feels abnormal when I bite down. My dentist kind of twisted it or something and it hurt, he said i would eventually lose that one.
• Professional opinions:
  • My general dentist says I may be in the 1% of people whose implants don’t work well and also feels the oral surgeon used implants that were too small.
  • My oral surgeon says my jawbone is small and that placing implants has always been a tight fit.
• My dental history:
  • I was born without four molars
  • I’ve had two adjacent teeth on the same side extracted because of decay under their crowns.
  • Currently, the implant on my lower jaw feels strange, and I have no teeth behind it (those were the ones pulled), which affects chewing.
• Current recommended treatment and cost concerns:
  • I was quoted over $3,500 for a custom titanium mesh bone graft to rebuild the area behind the problematic implant.
  • Given how much I’ve already spent, I’m worried about putting more money toward a solution that might still fail.
• My questions / what I’m trying to understand:
  • Should I be seeing a different type of dentist instead of just a general dentist or oral surgeon?
  • Is there a specialist who focuses on complicated implant cases or implant failures?
  • How can I determine whether the current implant is viable without spending more money?
  • I maintain excellent home care — cleanings every six months, flossing, Waterpik, brushing, and using Therabreath — so I don’t understand why the implant feels off.
• What I really want:
• I simply want a functional bottom molar for chewing, but I don’t want to continue spending thousands if the foundation isn’t stable. I need clarity on whether this implant can be saved and if a bone graft will solve the issues.

Thank you!