Why do dental implants cost so much? Affordable implants.

Dental implants are expensive. My experience has been that, in some situations, they are one of the most satisfying procedures done for patients. There are a few procedures in dentistry that bring smiles to both the patient and the Dentist. A well-done set of porcelain veneers or crowns can transform a poor smile into something the patient just loves to show by smiling all the time. Even though it was expensive, the patient feels a new sense of self-confidence that is worth the expense.
A patient that wears loose dentures is mostly disabled from a mechanical chewing perspective. Their chewing forces decreases from 700 pounds per square inch to 70 psi. Patients learn to accept to smile with a slight fear of their teeth slipping or moving. They also learn that they cannot chew some foods anymore. When implants can be placed and a new denture attached to them, the patient gets a tremendous amount of satisfaction from their new ability to chew and speak with a newfound confidence.
Now back to the question of why are dental implants expensive. The main reason for the expense is the training and expertise of all the people involved in manufacturing, delivering, placing, and restoring a dental implant. It must be made from surgical grade titanium, placed in an atraumatic way, and in a healthy position into adequate jaw bone. The implant, once healed, needs to be restored by a well-trained laboratory person using high end digital mills to create an implant tooth that will function in your mouth for many many years if not many decades.

Most patients think of an implant as a single replacement tooth. A dentist thinks of all the components needed to replace that “tooth”. An implant tooth consists of a dental fixture (screw), dental abutments and screws (healing and restorative) and finally the porcelain crown placed on the abutment. So the more parts the more risk of ill-fitting, and the more cost to allow the perfect tooth for your situation.
My last caution is a common phrase that seems to hold its’ truth over and over again. That phrase is “if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is”. Be careful of bait and switch schemes where implant fixtures are advertised at low prices. It seems like it’s half the price of regular implants. But most times the patient finds out that the abutment, abutment screw, and porcelain crown are charged separately so in the end, it turns out to be about the same or similar cost as done by your local implant dentist. Make sure your implant dentist has been trained thoroughly and is an active member of a dental implant or professional society so that you at least know they continue to get training and education.

If you have any questions please call 302-999-8113 and as for a free implant consultation