Most patients ask: what happens if something goes wrong?
The Harrell Confidence Guarantee is our written answer. It specifies exactly what is covered, for how long, and what is required to keep it active — before you ever sit in the chair.
It covers three things most practices leave to chance: the materials in your restoration, the implant placement itself, and the prosthetic work built on top of it. Coverage terms are documented in writing and signed before any treatment begins. The full terms — including what is covered, what is not, and how to keep your guarantee active — are detailed below.
The guarantee has three components protecting different aspects of your treatment across different timescales. Each is separate because materials, biology, and prosthetics fail differently — and on different timelines.
This guarantee covers defined coverage events described below. It is a service commitment, not a guarantee of biological outcomes, which vary by patient.
What We Place, We Stand Behind
Dr. Harrell uses only medical-grade titanium and zirconia at Harrell Dental Implant Center. This coverage is active for as long as Dr. Harrell remains in practice at HDIC: if a manufacturer’s defect is identified in the implant hardware, the part is replaced at no cost to you.
This covers the physical materials only — not biological integration outcomes, which are addressed separately in Tier 2.
In Plain Language
If something is defective in what we physically placed, we replace it. No charge. No argument.
12-Month Surgical Coverage
If an implant fails to integrate with the jaw bone within the first 12 months following surgery, Dr. Harrell will replace the implant and perform the corrective procedure at no additional charge.
This is subject to the patient having followed post-operative protocols and having adequate bone volume as determined at re-evaluation. The 12-month window reflects where biological failures clinically concentrate — it is not an arbitrary cutoff.
In Plain Language
If your implant doesn’t take in the first year, we redo it. At no charge.
5-Year Prosthetic Protection
The final zirconia crown, bridge, or full-arch prosthetic is backed against chips or fractures for five years from the date of final delivery. Zirconia is used exclusively — not acrylic or PMMA — because its durability profile is what makes this level of coverage clinically reasonable to offer.
In Plain Language
If your final teeth chip or fracture within five years, we cover the repair.
How the Harrell Confidence Guarantee Compares
Patients evaluating implant treatment compare providers whether or not a practice helps them do it. The table below reflects publicly available guarantee terms from major national providers — so the comparison is based on what each provider actually offers, not on how they describe themselves.
Feature
Harrell Dental Implant Center
Large Chain Corporate Network
Large Chain High-Volume
Fast-Turnaround Chain
Budget Network
Implant Post Coverage
Covered — see Tier 1 †
5-Year Pledge
25 Years (limited)
Manufacturer Warranty 1–5 Years
Limited
Prosthetic Coverage
5 Years (Zirconia)
Lifetime (Zirconia)
7–10 Years
Varies
1–4 Years
First-Year Surgical Coverage
100% Parts & Labor
Included in Pledge
Limited
Varies
Limited
Maintenance Requirement
Any licensed dentist — patient submits proof ‡
Must stay in-network
Annual in-office check-ups
Restricted
Location-specific
Anesthesiologist Included
Yes (Board-Certified)
Varies by location
No
No
No
Material Standard
Zirconia Only
Zirconia option
Multiple tiers
Zirconia
Multiple tiers
† Tier 1 covers manufacturer defects in the titanium and zirconia hardware placed by Dr. Harrell, for as long as Dr. Harrell is in practice at HDIC. It covers the physical implant components — not biological integration outcomes.
‡ Harrell Dental Implant Center is an independent practice with no affiliated clinic network. The maintenance requirement is documented proof of professional hygiene visits completed at any licensed dentist of the patient’s choosing. Patients submit clinical documentation to HDIC. This is meaningfully different from network-dependent maintenance clauses at multi-location providers. Based on publicly available terms from major national implant providers operating in the Charlotte, NC market as of early 2026. Individual provider terms vary by location.
Before You Commit
Questions to Ask Any Provider
We ask these questions of ourselves — and we answer them on this page. Ask every provider you consider.
Does the quoted price include imaging, sedation, temporary teeth, and all follow-up care?
What material are my final teeth made from — zirconia or plastic/acrylic?
Who administers anesthesia — a board-certified anesthesiologist, a CRNA, or the dentist?
What happens to my guarantee if I relocate to another city?
What specific patient actions void the guarantee — and where is that list published?
Is routine maintenance required at your clinics specifically, or can I see my own dentist?
Your Part of the Agreement
A guarantee is a two-way commitment. Three requirements must be maintained to keep it active. Each one has a direct clinical relationship to implant longevity — they are not arbitrary conditions.
Documented Six-Month Hygiene Visits
Professional cleanings and examinations every six months are required to keep the guarantee valid. This does not need to happen at Harrell Dental Implant Center.
You may fulfill this requirement with any licensed dentist of your choosing — your existing dentist, a dentist closer to home, or any provider if you relocate. What is required is documentation. Submit proof of the visit — clinical notes and any applicable records — to HDIC.
Nightguard Compliance
If Dr. Harrell prescribes a nightguard to protect your implants and prosthetic from grinding forces, wearing it as directed is a condition of the guarantee.
Bruxism is one of the more common causes of prosthetic damage — a nightguard is the clinical prevention for it. If a nightguard is not prescribed, this requirement does not apply.
Tobacco-Free Following Surgery
Any use of tobacco or nicotine products — including cigarettes, chewing tobacco, and vaping — following surgery voids the guarantee.
Nicotine significantly impairs blood flow to healing tissue and is among the most well-documented causes of implant failure. Patients who use tobacco before treatment discuss this directly during the consultation.
What the Guarantee Does Not Cover
The following are explicitly excluded. These are not fine-print limitations — they reflect clinical and liability boundaries that any responsible guarantee must address honestly.
Trauma and Accidental Damage
Damage caused by accidents, blunt force, sports injuries, or external impact is an insurance matter, not a guarantee matter. The guarantee covers clinical and material outcomes under normal use.
Unauthorized Outside Intervention
If another dental provider adjusts, repairs, or modifies the implant or prosthetic without prior written consent from Dr. Harrell, the specific component that provider touched is no longer covered. Emergency repairs while traveling are understood — the exclusion applies to the specific work performed, not the guarantee as a whole.
New Systemic Health Changes
Failure caused by medical conditions developing after treatment — including newly uncontrolled diabetes, chemotherapy, or radiation to the jaw — falls outside the guarantee. These are not foreseeable at the time of treatment.
Non-Compliance
Failure to meet the requirements in the previous section — tobacco use after surgery, failure to wear a prescribed nightguard, or undocumented hygiene visits — may result in partial or full suspension of coverage.
Incidental Costs
The guarantee covers clinical time and materials at HDIC. It does not cover travel, lost wages, or sedation fees associated with any corrective procedure.
Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. The Harrell Confidence Guarantee is a formal written agreement signed during the treatment planning phase — before any procedure begins. The terms on this page reflect the same terms in that agreement. Patients receive a signed copy at that appointment.
The guarantee remains valid. There is no network requirement at Harrell Dental Implant Center. You can continue to fulfill the six-month hygiene visit requirement with any licensed dentist of your choosing near your new location, submit documented proof to HDIC, and the guarantee stays active. This is a meaningful difference from multi-location chains where relocation can void coverage entirely.
Yes. The maintenance requirement can be fulfilled at any licensed dentist of your choosing — you are not required to return to Harrell Dental Implant Center for routine cleanings. After each visit, submit a brief clinical note from the appointment to HDIC to keep your records current.
Emergency repairs happen, and the guarantee accounts for them. If another provider performs an emergency adjustment or repair without prior written consent from Dr. Harrell, the exclusion applies only to the specific work that provider performed — not to the guarantee as a whole. Contact the practice as soon as possible after any outside intervention so records can be updated.
The guarantee covers the implant post and the prosthetic placed on it. If an implant fails to integrate within the first 12 months and corrective surgery is required, that procedure is covered under Tier 2. The specific scope of corrective surgery in a given case is determined by Dr. Harrell at the time of re-evaluation.
This is a fair question to ask of any dental implant provider before committing. The Harrell Confidence Guarantee is tied to Dr. Harrell’s practice — the ‘for as long as Dr. Harrell is in practice’ language in the Tier 1 material coverage reflects this honestly. If long-term continuity is a concern, it is worth raising directly at the consultation.
Your Investment, Protected
Ready to Start With a Guarantee Behind You?
Your free consultation includes advanced 3D imaging, a personalized treatment plan, a full review of the Harrell Confidence Guarantee, and transparent pricing — all at no cost and with no obligation.
