The older we get we are bound to lose our teeth because of disease, accidents or the wear and tear of life. After we lost our teeth we realize the crucial role that teeth play in our lives. They affect the way we look and in turn it enhances or lowers our self esteem and confidence. Missing teeth will make you look older than what you are and do nothing for the way you eat or chew. It can be extremely embarrassing to smile and bare gaps and missing teeth rather than a pearly row of straight white teeth. All these factors gave birth to the dental implant procedures.
Dental implants are the need in the patient to replace and restore their missing teeth with something as close to natural teeth as possible. The latest dental implants not only look good, but also feel and perform just like normal teeth you are born with. They are the epitome of aesthetics, usability and functionality all mixed into one. Dental implants are far better than traditional dentures. They are stable and fixed permanently hence no shifting. They are user-friendly and help your jaws, gums and bones remain healthy.
Now, you might wonder that dental implants certainly sound like the top of the shelf procedure then what is the cost involved. How much will I have to shell out in order to get all of these benefits? The cost of dental implants varies depending on the number of missing teeth, the dentist who is attending to you and the area of town or country or the world that you undergo this treatment. There are several factors and variables involved in this which can determine the cost of the dental implants.
However, if you were to look at the median range then dental implants will set you back by $2000 to $4000 and can even go up to $14000 in some cases. Moreover, the exact cost is hard to pin point as it will differ from patient to patient based on their individual needs and the materials used.
Before, you begin the treatment that is the time for you to determine the cost of the dental implant that you will incur. Talk about this with the dentist or the dental associates. Discuss the various dental implant options and the cost that are involved. What are the payment options that you have? Financing companies do take into consideration any advanced dental treatment that you might have to undergo. Third party finance companies offer credit and dental offices also offer installment plans for dental implant treatments.
There are places where the dental implant will approximately cost you about $1500 per tooth. There might be additional costs involved too such as preparing the jaw bone to accept the implant. This can increase the cost. Many dentists go on to offer you a discount if you go in for more than one dental implant at a time.
The factors that determine and affect the cost of the dental implant are the number of times you will have to visit the dentist. This will include the fees and the services offered for every sitting and stage of the treatment.
The first visit is for the dentist to estimate about the treatment, the appropriate dental implant and the time scale that it will take. This first visit is either free or considered to be a consultation or could be covered by insurance. Some patients might require bone grafts which can go on to cost you a further $750.
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Bone grafts - $750
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Implanting the titanium post into the jaw - $1000- 2000
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Attaching the implant - $600 – 800
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The crown or the false tooth - $800 – 1000
The cost of the implant will rise or fall based on the location of the tooth. Whether, it is at the back of the lower jaw which is difficult to reach, nerves in the area that need expertise. Implants which have unusual sizes or special coatings are several dollars more than the normal ones. Mini implants used to fill up narrow spaces in between teeth cost about a third of the full dental implants for several missing teeth.
Unfortunately, dental implants are not covered by any insurance company as it comes under the purview of cosmetic surgery. However, there are several financing and payment plans to help patients pay for the cost of dental implants. There are some companies that offer you payment plans with no interest if you were to pay up the principal amount within 3 to 18 months. There are credit companies that charge a 12 percent interest for repayment of principal amount of over a period of 2 to 5 years. There are flexible accounts which may allow patients to keep aside money to cover dental implants cost.
If you look at dentures and bridges these are covered by insurance companies. Now, before you rejoice, these are the kind that requires more maintenance and repairs in the long run. Whereas dental implants are permanent no hassle once they are fixed.
There are several different kinds of specialists to work on restoring your missing teeth and dental implants. There will be dentists who provide you with cosmetic dentistry and have receive only a few days of training in implants whereas on the other hand you will have prosthodontists who specialize in this field and have received over three years of training. The amount of training, experience and expertise that the dentist has will affect the cost greatly. The quality of the procedure, materials used, the dental clinic, the dental team and the centralized location will all add on to the cost. The patient must be clear about the stages of the treatment and how much could be the additional cost beyond the particular figure quoted and for what. This way there will be no unpleasant surprises for the patient later on.
The factors that determine the cost of the dental implants are:
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Materials Used – the dental implant prosthesis is determined by the companies that manufacture them. There is not much price variation here.
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Imaging – the X-rays and CTs add to the cost. Although this makes the procedure modern and accurate, it even makes it expensive.
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Laboratory – the work done to make the final preparations for the crown
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Patient’s Condition – this takes into account the age, oral hygiene and the jaw bone as this will determine if any further treatment is needed before or after the dental implant.
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Expertise/Service Charges – the time that the dentists spends in treating you and how much value would s/he place on the time spent. Expertise and knowledge comes at a certain cost.