How Much Do Dental Implants Cost?
Woodland, CA
 No other dental procedure can match the authenticity, durability, and longevity of dental implants. From appearance and durability to the kinds of foods, you are allowed to eat, dental implants are a perfect solution to missing teeth. And thanks to the use of 3D imaging tools, our dentist at Beautiful Smiles can take extremely accurate impressions of your mouth to provide the best possible solutions for you.
Given the complexity involved in dental implant procedures - it is, after all, a surgical process - the prices may be much higher than conventional solutions such as dentures and bridges. In general, you can expect to pay anywhere from $3,000 to $5,000 for a single dental implant. This pricing includes the implant post itself, abutment, crown, and of course, the surgery.
Multiple tooth implant surgery can cost even more, with a full set costing you upwards of $50,000 to $100,000. Procedures such as All-on-4 and All-on-6 implants can bring the costs down to around $15,000 - but you may still have to pay in the five figure range for multiple tooth implant surgery.
A Quick Review of the All-on-4 Procedure
All-on-4 dental implants involve a clever technique where the upper or lower arch of teeth are replaced with just four implants. This is because a single implant is strong enough to support up to two adjacent teeth. The four implants provide a convenient mechanism for our dentist to place a new set of permanent teeth.
The surgery is less intensive compared to if you opted for all implants, and the healing times will reflect that. The costs are also lower, and so will be your requirements from the jawbone.
The average cost for All-on-4 dental implants is just around $15,000 per arch or about $30,000 for both.
Why Dental Implant Prices Are So Different
It should be noted that no two patients are alike, and therefore, the prices quoted above are merely averages and may not apply to you. This is for several reasons; for one, our dentist may have to remove existing teeth, and this could cost an additional $1,000 or even more (if the teeth are located in hard-to-reach places).
Other patients experience severe loss of jawbone mass, perhaps because they waited too long to have their missing tooth replaced. It is a well documented fact that prolonged tooth loss will lead to jawbone loss as well because the body no longer needs to maintain the bone, leading to a phenomenon known as bone resorption. The immune system signals the body to slowly chip away at the jawbone because it no longer receives stimulus.
Patients who opt for dentures and bridges may also experience bone loss because these procedures do not stimulate the jawbone like your real teeth (or like dental implants). This means that over time, patients with tooth loss will lose their jawbone to a point where it may not be possible to install dental implants.
Let's take a look at some of the costs associated with a dental implant procedure.
Bone Graft Surgery
It is necessary for patients to have at least 1 mm of bone density in order to accommodate the dental implant. If they don't have enough bone density, the implant will eventually slip out of its place and may even penetrate the sinus. This will lead to serious complications that may require an emergency surgery.
Patients without adequate jawbone mass are required to undergo bone graft surgery. Depending on how much bone they've lost, the surgery may be incredibly intensive and taxing on the body. They will also require multiple visits to a dentist for follow ups.
The average price for a simple bone graft that uses synthetic material ranges from $500 to $1,000. During this time, you will be asked to abstain from any habits that could delay your recovery such as smoking and drinking alcohol. You will also be required to strictly follow the postoperative instructions in order to increase the speed of recovery.
Once your gums and bones have successfully healed, you should be ready for a dental implant procedure.
Although the cost of dental implants may appear to be steep at first, it is important to think of the expense as an investment. This is because dental implants have several advantages that could improve your quality of life for the better.
Some of the benefits of dental implants include eating whatever you like (with a few restrictions, of course), ease of oral care, and improving facial aesthetics. More importantly, dental implants are a permanent procedure that can last for up to 40 years or more if you take good care of them.
Some components of a dental implant, such as the crown, may require more frequent replacement, of 5 to 10 year intervals. However, good care of your dental crowns should also prolong their life. By far the biggest benefit of dental implants is the impact it has on your confidence. Dental implants can prevent premature aging due to facial sagging caused by jawbone loss. Facial sagging occurs because there isn't enough bone mass to support your facial aesthetics.
When it comes to safety, dental implants may be more superior to other dental appliances such as dentures, braces, and bridges. This is because, once osseointegration is complete, the implant will have fused with the jawbone. The implant is made of biocompatible material, usually titanium, that does not elicit a strong reaction from the immune system. The vast majority of healthy individuals are at no risk of getting any serious complications or problems from dental implant procedures.
However, the first few months after surgery will play a crucial role because the implant site will be at risk of infection. It is important to strictly follow the post-op instructions and regularly stop by at Beautiful Smiles where our expert Dr. James Yang will monitor your progress.
If you're ready for dental implants, call (530) 206-9211 and our friendly specialists will book you for a consultation appointment. |
