Dental implants are medical devices surgically inserted in the jawbone. The screwlike post, typically made of titanium, provides a healthy and secure foundation for dental restoration, such as a crown or bridge. They improve your appearance and restore your ability to chew or speak properly.
With the recent technological advances in dentistry, dental implants are becoming more popular. Although the process is more complicated and takes longer than other dental prosthesis devices like dentures, it provides a long-lasting solution.
Thus, it’s more cost-effective in the long run than other alternatives. That being said, you may wonder how much it costs to get dental implants in the USA.
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Estimated Cost Of Dental Implants In The USA
If you ask a qualified practitioner how much it costs to get dental implants, they’ll almost always say it depends on several factors. That applies to any country, including the USA.
But if you must have a reference, then the best estimate would be USD$2,000 to USD$4,000 per tooth. That estimate may seem expensive, but you’re actually paying for the entire procedure, not just the implant. Since this innovative treatment entails considerable cost, it’s essential to look for the best dental implants Columbia, MO can offer.
What Does The Cost Include?
The price you have to pay for dental implants generally consists of several smaller fees or costs combined into one.
In that regard, here’s a look at the different components of a dental implant procedure:
- Comprehensive Dental Exam: There will be several diagnostic exams before the procedure. These may include dental x-rays, a computed tomography (CT) scan, and three-dimensional (3D) imaging.
- Extraction Of The Tooth: The practitioner may have to remove the problem tooth.
- Installation Of The Implant: After the gums have sufficiently healed, the dental specialist would screw in the implant.
- Fabrication And Placement Of The Crown: The crown is the cap-shaped part that covers or protects a tooth. It’s basically what you’ll see once you get a dental implant.
- Placement Of The Abutment: The abutment is the fixture that connects or secures the implant and crown together. It’s on top of the implant and holds the crown in place.
Each one has a corresponding fee. For example, 3D imaging may cost USD$350 to USD$600 per session. Fortunately, there may be services that the dental specialist would render for free, like the CT scan.
However, if bone grafting is required because your jawbone isn’t thick enough and can’t support the implant, you may have to pay more than usual. That’s because bone grafting isn’t included in the standard cost (USD$2,000 to USD$4,000), so it adds to the list of fees.
Factors That May Affect The Cost
The cost of dental implants may vary widely because there are several factors or variables to consider. Below are some of these factors:
- Type of implant (single-stage or two-stage process)
- The material of the implant screw (titanium or zirconia)
- The material of the prosthetic teeth (porcelain, acrylic resin, zirconia, etc.)
- Experience of the practitioner
- An additional surgical procedure like bone grafting
- Size, number, and location of the implants
- Patient’s overall oral health
Since the dental implant procedure usually takes three to six months, you may have to make monthly payments. Hence, experts advise that you discuss your financial options or payment plan with your oral surgeon.
That way, you know exactly how much to pay, at which period, and what you’ll have to spend in total for the entire treatment.
Different Types Of Dental Implant Procedures And Their Costs
It’s worth noting that there are different types of dental implant procedures. The procedure is one of the factors that would affect the cost of dental implants.
Here’s a look at each type of procedure and their corresponding costs:
- Single-Tooth Implant: As the name implies, this procedure involves only one tooth. It’s the least costly option, but it involves the same tests as other procedures like All On 4.
Single-tooth implants cost USD$2,000 to USD$4,000.
- Implant Denture: This procedure refers to a hybrid of dentures and implants. The denture side comes from the fact that it replaces all or multiple teeth at once, and the implant side comes from the fact that it’s permanent. An implant denture often makes use of eight to ten implants per jaw.
Implant denture procedures cost USD$10,000 to USD$60,000.
- All On 4: This procedure is quite similar to implant dentures. However, it only consists of four implants for the entire mouth, hence the name. This brings several benefits to the table.
For one, it puts less pressure on one’s jaw since there are fewer implants. Secondly, dental practitioners are able to complete the entire procedure within a single day. And lastly, the four implants can support both lower and upper sets of prosthetic teeth.
It’s more affordable than implant dentures, with a cost ranging from USD$5,000 to USD$50,000.
- Zirconia Fixed Bridge: If an implant denture is a hybrid of implants and dentures, a zirconia bridge is a hybrid of dental bridges and implants. Its name is derived from the material it uses, zirconium oxide.
Unlike regular dental implants, a zirconia bridge doesn’t consist of several teeth that are separate from one another.
A bridge is an entire set of teeth, each one connected to the other. As such, pulling one out means pulling altogether. A dental bridge is usually removable, but a fixed bridge can only be removed by a dentist since it’s secured to your jaw with implants.
Every tooth covered by the zirconia fixed bridge costs USD$2,000 to USD$3,000. So, a procedure for your entire jaw may cost around USD$30,000 to USD$40,000.
Summing It Up
The beauty of dental implants is that they’re more cost-effective since they last longer. People with dental implants typically don’t have to replace them more than once since they can last around 25 to 30 years or a lifetime for many people.
As for the cost of dental implants, it’s challenging to provide an exact amount because it depends on the patient’s overall oral health and many other variables. An accurate estimate is possible only after you’ve been thoroughly assessed by a dental specialist.
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Chibueze Uchegbu is a certified medical physiologist with a great passion for healthy living.
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