Factors that Influence Dental Implant Treatment Costs
There are several factors involved in determining the cost of your dental implant treatment.
- Do you require sedation?
- Do you require additional procedures (extractions, bone grafting, gum disease treatment, etc)?
- What materials to you want (titanium/porcelain or zirconia)?
- Where are you located?
- How much training/experience does the dentist have?
Why Are Dental Implants so Expensive?
There are several reasons that dental implants are so expensive, including:Dental implant placement requires surgery
Most patients don’t realize it, but dental implant placement is a surgical procedure, which makes it more expensive than a simple procedure. This means that:- More staff are involved
- More precautions are taken
- More materials/medications are used
- More time is required
Dental implants are a long-term investment
Dental implants are a long-term, permanent solution for missing teeth. As long as you properly care for and maintain your implants, you won’t have issues with the implants or your remaining teeth. Therefore, while this is an expensive treatment, the money you’ll save in the long run makes it worth it.Dental implants are superior to other options
You do have other options for replacing your missing teeth.- You can ignore the problem. However, ignoring it will not make it go away- it will only get worse.
- You can get dentures. However, dentures require additional care and maintenance above and beyond your normal dental hygiene practices.
- You can get a dental bridge. However, this requires some modifications to the two natural teeth on either side of the gap.
Dental implants require specialized training
Dentists go through a lot of education and training to learn their trade. Dental implants require additional training above and beyond their normal courses. This means they can charge more for their specialty services.Dental implants may require additional procedures
Dental implants require a healthy jawbone and gums. If you have low jawbone density, you may need bone grafting to make your jawbone adequate enough to handle the implants. If you have gum disease, you will need to undergo treatment before the implants can be placed. If not, you increase your risk of infection and jawbone failure.The Dental Implant Process
There are several steps involved in dental implant placement. Most of these steps must be completed in separate visits and require healing time between Therefore, this process typically takes a minimum of several months to complete. For some patients, it may take over a year. If you are unwilling or unable to commit this much time to the process, you may want to consider exploring other options.
The first step to any dental procedure is the consultation visit. This is when Dr. Zaruhi Shahbazyan will complete a comprehensive dental exam, including x-rays. This will provide a full picture of your dental health and help determine if you are a candidate for dental implants. During this visit, we will also review your medical and dental history, as well as your goals for treatment.
If you have dental anxiety, please let us know and we will make sure to include sedation in your treatment plan. Also, any questions or concerns you may have will be addressed at this time.
If it is determined that you qualify for dental implants, we will move forward with the treatment process. The first step will be to complete any additional procedures you may require such as extractions, gum disease treatment, or bone grafting. Once these are complete, we can move forward with placing the implant.
When it is time to place the implant, a small incision will be made in the gum, and a hole drilled into the jawbone. The implant will be placed in the jawbone and the gum stitched up. You will need to allow several weeks for the jawbone to heal around and fuse with the implant. Once that is done, we can place the abutment.
The site will be opened, and the abutment attached to the crown. A healing cap will be placed on top of the abutment, and you’ll be given a few weeks for that to heal. The cap will prevent the gums from completely closing on top of the implant. During this healing time, the lab will be fabricating your customized crown, which will blend in with your natural teeth.
The final step is to place the crown. We will first check that it fits properly. Then, we will secure it to the implant. You will have a fully functional tooth in that spot once again.
Are Dental Implants Worth It?
Yes, dental implants are worth it. They offer a variety of benefits, including:
- Permanent solution for tooth loss
- Preserving jawbone health
- Preventing additional tooth loss
- Keeping you looking younger
- Improving your self-confidence
Dental Implant FAQs
Dental implants are a major decision. There are lots of factors involved and the team at Shahbazyan DDS Cosmetic and General Dentistry wants to make sure that you are well-informed. We are happy to answer your questions and address your concerns. Some of the most common questions we hear include:
Do dental implants hurt?
You will be given local anesthesia to numb the area before we get started. We can offer sedation dentistry to help you relax if you have dental anxiety. You will need to tell us this during the consultation so that we can include it in your treatment plan.Are dental implants safe?
Dental implants are safe as long as you do not have any underlying oral or overall health issues. If you have uncontrolled diabetes, heart disease, or other chronic condition, we may recommend against dental implants due to the potential for surgical complications. This will be determined on a case-by-case basis.How do dental implants work?
A dental implant is a device that serves as a permanent replacement for missing teeth. It looks, feels, and functions the most like natural teeth and is made up of three parts:- Implant: inserted into the jawbone, acts as a tooth root
- Abutment: connects the implant to the crown
- Crown: visible above the gum line, replaces a missing tooth
