For those who are considering dental implants to address their missing teeth, cost is often a factor. Luckily, more and more insurance companies are recognizing what a good long-term investment implants can be, so they are more widely covered than they have been in the past. Still, copays can be costly, and a lot of patients wonder why they see price quotes ranging from $600 to $10,000 from different sources. The first thing to remember is that there are a lot of ways to price implants, as well as a lot of different procedures that might be bundled with the basic implant procedure.
Cost of the Implant or Cost of the Whole Treatment?
When looking at the prices advertised for implants and patient claims about the costs from providers, it’s important to realize that there are some professionals who advertise the cost of the implant itself, absent any treatment leading to it or any additional procedures that might be needed to prepare a candidate with other health complications. The high end of the cost estimate almost always includes other procedures, which might include tissue grafts, jawbone or sinus reinforcement, or care for underlying conditions like gum disease.
Since dental professionals can’t estimate what extra procedures a patient might need, any advertised costs are going to be for a straightforward implant installation and not a case that needs a lot of extra support. You’ve also got to realize that some of the lower-end quotes are for the average insurance copay, whereas the higher-end quotes are for patients paying the whole cost out of pocket.
What About Waiting to Replace Missing Teeth?
Dental implants provide a permanent solution to missing teeth, but there are other options. Even if you want another solution, it’s important to act quickly, before you run into side effects like
- Gum tissue loss
- Jawbone loss
- Movement of the remaining teeth
For more information, contact our office and make an appointment for a consultation.