Are Dental Implants Affordable?

Initial Consultation
The first time you meet with us is extremely important. This Free Consultation includes much of the planning for the rest of the treatment. Our doctor will assess the health of the teeth and jaws. Diagnostic 3D imaging (valued at $477) will be obtained and treatment options will be discussed.

Surgery
After the initial consultation, you are scheduled for surgery where the dental implants are placed and the new teeth are fitted and adjusted. While these won’t be your final restoration, you will leave our office after this visit with beautiful, fixed, functional teeth.

Follow-Up Appointment
After 3-6 months, when the implants are fused to the natural bone, the dentist will take new impressions of your mouth and prepare a final, stronger, permanent set of teeth adjusted to a perfect fit. This helps ensure that the teeth will last for decades, and provide maximum support, beauty, and function to the patient.

Sedation Dentistry
Some patients may choose to be sedated (undergo general anesthetic) during the dental implant procedure, as they might be too nervous during the surgery if they are completely awake. If this is a problem you should consider asking for a sedative to ease your anxiety.

Bone Grafts
Patients who have lost a lot of bone may also require bone grafts. Bone grafts may be performed in a separate procedure, several months before the implant is placed, and will require several months to heal and for the graft to fuse into the regular bone. This extra procedure may, of course, mean additional costs. This also means you may not be able to have the procedure done in one trip since the graft will take time to grow into the bone and you need to allow tissues to heal. However, we also offer an option that does not include bone grafting called a Zygomatic Implant.

Teeth Location
Which teeth are being replaced also influences the cost of treatment. Front teeth are much harder for the surgeon to work on and require more skill to make the implant look like a natural tooth. As a rule, visible teeth tend to be more expensive, and the surgery tends to be longer.

While more expensive than dentures, dental implants are the more cost-effective option for dental restoration, and provide a more natural, secure, longer-lasting solution. Other options, such as a tooth-supported bridge, have a limited lifespan and must be replaced. The American Dental Association reports that the average bridge must be replaced every 10.1 years. However, clinical studies have shown that implant-supported crowns (like we're discussing here) are effective at 20+ years in 95% of cases. This study shows a 98.8% 10-year survival rate of dental implants, which means the implants will almost certainly outlast bridges. Other studies have shown the effectiveness of dental implants in the shorter term. This Swedish study showed a 98.2% survival rate of the implant (Not for patients; there were no fatalities reported in the study!) over 32 months with the immediately loaded implants. Implants may be more expensive up-front, but over time their superior value and lifespan mean you'll be saving money in the long run.