Since moving to Manhattan, I have become a great fan of the NYC subway system (except during the summer when the freshness of a morning shower is negated by standing in the sweltering subterranean sauna that envelopes the subway platform.) Nevertheless, a 15-minute commute is hard to beat. So, like many straphangers, I have become a regular reader of the subway mini-newspaper, METRO-NEW YORK, replete with “must-know NYC tidbits” and a cornucopia of medical and health-related advertisements. Nothing like seeing graphic examples of varicose veins and liposuctioned thighs to go with your morning Joe!

So it was about 7 months ago that I first spotted this ad in the paper:

Say what? SAY DAY TEETH? I chuckled to myself when I saw the obvious typographical error. But when the “SAY DAY TEETH” ad continued to appear in the paper, day after day, week after week, month after month without having the egregious error corrected, I shook my head in disbelief. Incredulously, nobody from the dental practice paying for the advertisement took the time or interest to look at the ad. Or, maybe somebody did look at it but just didn’t notice that SAME DAY TEETH was misspelled as SAY DAY. Or perhaps, the advertising campaign was so successful that nobody in the office cared.

I remember an oft-stated analogy back in the day when cigarette smoking was allowed on commercial flights: “If the ashtray on your seat arm was dirty when you boarded the plane, what did that say about the maintenance quality of the jet’s engines?” Attention to details matter, especially in dentistry. From my humble perspective, SAY DAY TEETH speaks volumes. The first thing that comes to my mind is: “Buyer Beware!” The time limited promotion for $99 implants and same day teeth (“New Patients Only” and “Don’t Forget to Bring the Coupon”) seems too good to be true or at least too good to be good. To quote Peter Cache, a very dear and humble patient of mine, “The sweetness of a good price is short-lived compared to the bitterness of a job poorly done.”

I have been restoring implants for more than 25 years and have seen more than a few surgical and restorative failures. Meticulous surgical technique and thoughtful restorative care is requisite for predictable success. The oral surgeons and periodontists who place implants for my patients offer the care, skill, and judgment that I require and that excellence demands. Sure it is possible to have an implant placed and a provisional (temporary) crown fabricated in the same day. I have coordinated such care on numerous occasions. BUT this is more the exception than the rule.

The proper clinical conditions must be present to avoid what could be dramatic and costly failure (such conditions include but not limited to adequate bone height, width and density; proper occlusion; absence of infection; proper oral hygiene; good general and periodontal health; and absence of parafunctional habits). The importance of a thorough evaluation prior to implant surgery is paramount.

SAME day teeth? Yes, it’s possible. Is it advisable?

That’s the question that must be answered before any treatment is rendered.

Footnote: Hallelujah! SAY DAY has finally been corrected to SAME DAY. You know what they say: Here today. Gone tomorrow!

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