A dental implant is a type of fixed tooth restoration. This means that once the procedure is done, the replacement tooth stays in place over its lifespan. This facilitates easier chewing, speaking, and oral hygiene.
Dental implants cost more than other restorative options like dentures or bridges because they often take multiple appointments and use highly durable materials.
You may also require additional work to prepare your mouth and jaw for implants. The amount of accompanying work and the complexity of the dental implant treatment can affect the total dental implant cost.
Get a free consultation at your local dental clinic to learn more about your dental implants cost.
Dental Implant Treatment: An Overview
The dental implants cost is determined by the complexity of the dental implant treatment. You may need a dental implant treatment if you have severe tooth decay, a seriously cracked tooth, or missing teeth.
First, your dentist takes X-rays to determine if a dental implant is right for you. If they detect advanced gum disease, bone loss, or other complications, you’ll need to receive treatment before you can get dental implants, which will add to the overall dental implant cost.
During the first stage of the dental implant treatment, your dentist inserts a small titanium screw into your jawbone. The jawbone grows around the screw and anchors the customised dental crown to secure your tooth replacement.
After the bone has fused to the implant, you’ll return for the second stage of the treatment to have a connector device called an abutment attached to the implant post. During this appointment, your dentist also takes impressions of your mouth to craft your custom crown.
The customised crown significantly adds to a dental implant cost because crowns are made in a laboratory with special materials. Crown materials include gold, metal alloys, and ceramic. Gold dental implants cost the most, and ceramic crowns are the most popular option.
Procedures That Add to Dental Implant Cost
Additional work is often necessary for a successful dental implant. They all add to dental implants cost. Some procedures that increase your dental implants cost include:
Multiple implants
The total dental implant cost is determined per tooth. So, the more teeth you need to have replaced, the higher the dental implant cost. However, if you have multiple consecutive missing teeth, your dentist may prescribe an All-on-4 procedure.
All-on-4 implants use four implant posts evenly placed along the dental arch to support a denture instead of a crown. This eliminates the need for multiple single implants and significantly reduces the dental implant cost.
Bone graft
A bone graft is a procedure that increases jawbone density, and more than half of dental implants are paired with a bone graft procedure. There are many reasons why a patient may need a bone graft for a successful dental implant. Bone resorption, or bone loss, occurs when a tooth is missing. The solution and preemptive procedure for bone resorption both include a bone graft.
After extracting a tooth, your dentist may need to preserve the extraction site with a socket preservation bone graft. Bone grafts increase a dental implant’s cost because of the bone graft material and expertise needed for the procedure.
Tooth extraction
Extractions are necessary when a tooth is decayed or injured enough to limit structural integrity. Simple and complex extractions add to a patient’s dental implants cost, with complex extractions adding significantly more. Complex extractions are expensive because they require general anaesthetic, are a longer procedure, and need more expertise.
Get a free dental consultation near you to find out if your dental implant cost will rise because of accompanying procedures like teeth extractions and a bone graft.
Determine Your Dental Implants Cost At Dapto Dentists
The factors that go into dental implant cost only give a patient a general idea of the price they will pay. To find out your specific dental implants cost, visit a dentist that offers a free consultation.
At Dapto Dentists, we provide comfortable tooth restoration options. Contact us on (02) 4210 9058 for a free consultation and begin your journey to a healthy and beautiful smile.
Note: Any surgical or invasive procedure carries risks. Before proceeding, you should seek a second opinion from an appropriately qualified health practitioner.
References:
Frequency of bone graft in implant surgery
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4819798/
