Cost Statistics
According to independent website RealSelf, the average cost of a dental implant procedure is $27,373, based on 207 patient reviews that included the cost of the procedure. This figure includes all dental implant procedures, which replaced from one tooth to an entire mouth full of teeth.
The cost to replace an individual tooth ranged from $1000 to $6000. Replacing an entire mouth full of teeth (both arches) could cost $42,000 or more.
Does Insurance Cover Dental Implants?
These days, most dental insurance plans will cover some amount of the cost of dental implants. However, you should not expect it to cover most of the cost or even a significant portion of the cost. Dental insurance typically has a maximum benefit that they will pay. Often, this benefit is very low, perhaps $1500 per person per year or less for many plans. This means that, for all but the cheapest dental implants, your insurance is unlikely to pay a significant portion of your dental implant costs.
What Affects the Cost of Dental Implants?
Obviously, the number of dental implants you need will affect the cost of your dental implant procedure. However, just looking at the cost for a single implant, you can see that there’s a wide range in cost–the most expensive procedure can cost six times the least expensive procedure.
This might be due to many factors, including:
- Your oral health
- How long you’ve been missing teeth
- The quality of restoration
- The implant system
Understanding these factors can help you understand how much you want to pay for your dental implants.
How Your Oral Health Affects the Cost of Implants
If you don’t have good oral health, you might need to pay for additional procedures before you can get dental implants. Gum disease is the leading cause of tooth loss, and it’s also the leading cause of dental implant failure. Before placing dental implants, we will recommend treating any current gum disease.
Gum disease can also lead to bone loss around your teeth. Since dental implants depend on your bone for support, if gum disease damaged your bone, you might need a bone graft procedure to ensure there’s enough supporting bone. This will increase the total cost of your dental implant.
Waiting to Get Implants Can Increase the Cost
The cost of getting dental implants can increase if you have been wearing dentures for a long time. The primary reason for this is that you might need a bone graft because you do not have enough bone to support dental implants.
When you lose your teeth, your body begins to resorb (break down) the bone that used to support them. Poorly fitting dentures can accelerate bone loss in some cases. Eventually, this bone loss might mean that you don’t have enough bone to support dental implants. The bone graft required to make up for this might be extensive, depending on the current condition of your jaw.
Not All Restorations Are Created Equal
The dental implant is technically only the replacement tooth root: the screw that goes into your bone and is normally made of titanium. The visible part of the replacement tooth or teeth is called the restoration. It’s a crown, bridge, or denture that attaches to the implant, often via a connector piece known as an abutment.
As with any cosmetic restoration, the crown, bridge, or denture attached to your dental implant can come in a variety of materials: plastic, advanced ceramics, and ceramics bonded to metals. Some are more attractive than others. Some are stronger than others. And some are more expensive than others.
Implant Systems Can Affect Cost
Another determinant of dental implant cost is if you’re receiving implants from a particular dental implant system, such as All-on-4. These implant systems can offer significant benefits for you: a faster procedure, more reliable outcomes, more attractive restorations, etc. They also affect the cost.
A dental implant system like All-on-4 can sometimes save you money. The system is designed to be efficient, and using just four implants to replace an entire arch of teeth can reduce the cost. However, patented dental implant systems have licensing fees and the individual components can be expensive. We will let you know if we feel that the benefits of a particular system justify the costs in your case.
Think “Value” Not “Cost”
When people look at the cost of dental implants, they may balk. There’s no way to get around it: dental implants can be expensive. However, dental implants are also a great value. When considering dental implants, it’s important to consider:
- Health benefits
- Quality of life benefits
- Long-term costs
Dental implants offer significant health benefits. By helping you to chew a variety of nutritious foods, dental implants help you to stay healthier as you get older. Plus, dental implants can improve the strength of your bite. Bite strength and chewing ability are associated with greater mobility and reduced cognitive decline later in life. If you’re comparing dental implants to partial dentures, it’s also important to understand that partial dentures can increase the risk that you will lose more teeth in the future.
In addition to health benefits, dental implants offer many quality of life benefits. Being able to eat all your favorite foods can help you enjoy life more on a daily basis. Dental implants come with a lot less hassle than dentures. In addition, dental implants don’t cause gum soreness the way that dentures can.
Finally, remember that dental implants can actually cost less than dentures over the long term. Properly cared for, dental implants can last a lifetime. Restorations on top of dental implants typically last at least 10 years, and high-quality restorations might last up to 30 years or more. Dentures, on the other hand, tend to last only 5-8 years, often with radically declining function, appearance, and comfort in the latter part of that lifespan.
Although the cost of dental implants is high, the value is even higher, making them the best choice for most people.
Let’s Talk about Dental Implants
If you’re seriously considering dental implants, don’t dismiss them because of cost before you’ve talked to the experts at Firouzian Dentistry. With dental financing, dental implants can be affordable for almost anyone, and the tremendous value they offer makes them the best choice for most people.
To schedule a consultation at Firouzian Dentistry, please call (614) 848-5001 or use our online form today to request an appointment.
