Need a dental implant? You’re not alone. More than 3 million people in the US have them — and over 500,000 will get them this year, according to the American Academy of Implant Dentistry.
But how much will dental implants cost in 2020? That can depend on the type of dental implant you need, how many implants, and whether or not dental implants are covered by your insurance company.
Even the best dentists in the world will do a dental implant for about $1,000 to $2,000 per tooth. But the good news is we can save you a good deal of money — several hundreds of dollars per tooth. We can offer more affordable dental implants than many oral surgeons because of our unique approach to care: We always prioritize our patients’ needs first. We won’t let the insurance companies push us around.
Keep in mind that’s just for the actual implant itself. There are other cost factors to consider:
The tooth crown — custom or what’s in stock
The abutment (this connects the implant to the crown)
The cost of removing the tooth and root
Office visit costs
Pre-op care
Post-op care
Longevity: Why Dental Implants Are More Affordable in the Long Term
If you need a more affordable option to dental implants, especially if you need to replace a set of teeth or even face a full mouth reconstruction, dentures or a dental bridge will cost less. But keep in mind how long they will last. Both will need to be replaced every few years. Dental implants, when properly placed and well cared for, can last a lifetime. Considering their longevity, dental implants are actually a lot more affordable than you think.
A Word About Jawbone Health
The effectiveness and affordability of dental implants depend greatly on the health of your jawbone. Unfortunately, if you are missing teeth — even a single tooth — your jawbone greatly deteriorates. This is why we recommend never ignoring a lost tooth. You should always try to find some replacement, whether that be dentures, a bridge, or dental implants.
You’ll need to have enough jawbone for the dental implant to be surgically attached. If you don’t have a strong enough jawbone, we could try in your gum line, though this can have complications. A third option is to go through the cheek bone, which can also limit effectiveness while costing more.
The good news is that dental implants can be good for jawbone health. Dental implants are made from titanium, which integrates with the jawbone — effectively strengthening and stimulating growth in structure. If we have enough jawbone to work with, dental implants can be an effective way of improving the health of your jawbone.
Zygomatic Dental Implants
Zygomatic dental implants are designed for patients that have significant loss in the jawbone or gum line. They take longer to put in place — and require more skill to be able to place. The good news is you can get a bone graft designed to strengthen your jawbone, since we will be going through the cheekbone.
Titanium vs. Zirconia Dental Implants
Some of our patients are concerned about the amount of metal placed in their mouth. In fact, some are even allergic to metal.
That’s why we offer Zirconia dental implants, an alternative to the traditional titanium approach. It’s a more holistic solution to tooth replacement. These dental implants are typically marketed as a non-metal alternative to titanium implants. Zirconia is a ceramic material that is white in color. Technically, the ceramics contain both metals and nonmetals but are considerably less metallic than titanium dental implants.
Zirconia is a ceramic comprising the elements Zirconium and Oxygen (1 atom of Zirconium & 2 atoms of Oxygen). Zirconium has an atomic number of 40, so it’s a transitional metal. Because Zirconia implants contain the metallic atoms of Zirconium, it’s not considered a metal due to its metal oxide structure (ZrO2). Its composition structure, behavior, and name are altered by the addition of the oxide changes.
Zirconia has a better soft tissue response and biocompatibility. Because it is naturally colored, it also blends in better and looks more natural.
Dental Implants for Full Mouth Reconstruction
While single dental implants can be used to replace one tooth, some patients need all their teeth done — a process known as full mouth reconstruction.
At $1,000 to $2,000 per tooth, replacing all your teeth with dental implants is a considerable investment. One way to make a full mouth reconstruction via dental implants more affordable is to do 4 in 1 dental implants. This is a way or replacing several missing teeth without doing a separate implant for each one. Instead, you do implants on a seat of 4 teeth.
Are Dental Implants Covered by Insurance?
Dental implants are usually covered by your insurance, which certainly helps to make them more affordable. Your insurance will likely cover only a portion of your expenses but can significantly cut down on the cost. Your insurance coverage may vary depending on if the dental implants are needed for functional or cosmetic reasons.
How We Can Make Dental Implants More Affordable
We understand that dental implants can be costly. Fortunately, there are alternative payment plans available to help make dental implants more affordable. CareCredit is a personal credit line towards medical expenses, including dentistry and oral surgery. We’re also happy to discuss payment plans. Some of our patients even take out personal loans from their local banks to help keep coverage more affordable.
