So why can’t I just get a number for what is the cost of a dental implant? We get this question probably as much as any other question and it makes sense if an implant was a commodity that you could just purchase like a TV. There are many factors that go into the treatment and what is needed for the implant to be successful.
Over the next few weeks, I’ll be discussing some of these factors that affect the type of treatment required for a dental implant solution to be successful. For example, did you know that you have different quality of bone in different areas of the jaw and sometimes major differences between the upper and lower jaw bone? How much bone is left after the tooth has been taken out? How long ago was the tooth removed? Are you a healthy patient? What modifications from ideal do we have to accommodate for to give you a predictable result for your implant restoration.
If you are calling and the practice gives you a quote for the cost, it may be a red flag that the experience level or education level doesn’t know the answer to some of these questions. Many of these accommodations are relatively costly in materials and time to prepare the position for an implant that if not dealt with correctly compromises long-term results. We want investments to be sound and predictable. A patient has to be evaluated and a 3-dimensional radiograph taken to answer most of these questions.
Many dentists provide a free consult to meet the patient, discover the needs and desires, and determine modifications or treatment options to accomplish the patients goals. This does take time, but it is the only way for you to truly know you are getting what you want and a price you can plan for. In my next blog, I’ll go into more details about some of these accommodations and planning concerns.