Why does the cost of Dental Implants Vary So Much?
A guide to dental implant prices [Back]
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It can be frustrating and confusing just trying to find out how much a dental implant is going to cost. Why does the cost vary so much from dentist to dentist and then after your initial consultation you can be given yet a different price? At RevaHealth.com we have seen patients quoted everything from €500 to €7,500 for a single implant.
Unfortunately, as much as we would like to directly compare prices, dentistry is a complicated business and you need to make sure you are comparing like with like. Many unscrupulous clinics and agents exploit this complexity making their services initially seem like better value. It is possible to save a fortune by shopping around but it pays to be informed.
If the price you have been quoted simply looks too low make sure that it for a normal implants that will act as a titanium root for a full crown as opposed to a mini-implants. Mini-implants are smaller and are designed to anchor lower dentures. Normally several mini-implants are required to fix dentures in place.
There are a large number of brands (over 50) that supply the titanium screws to dentists. Each brand has its unique advantages and price. At the cheaper end there are brand like Ankylos which normally has a 5 year materials guarantee. At the more expensive end you have brand such as Nobel Branemark and Straumann, both of which normally come with a 10 year materials guarantee. Most implant specialists will offer a range of brand with the difference in price can be as much as 60%. Therefore when comparing prices that you understand the materials that are going to be used.
The cap (sometimes called the abutment) sits on top of the implant and acts as a base for the crown. It is important to understand if the price you have been quoted includes the cap or not, otherwise you could end up with an unexpected bill. As with the implant, there are several types of cap, for example titanium and zirconium, and the price varying by as much as 100%. Once again make sure you know what material have been included in the price you have been quoted
Normally an implant is left for 3 months or more before attaching the crown. Some clinic offer a temporary crown that can be immediate placed on the implant, giving you the benefit of better smile during the healing process. You should know if the price you have been quoted includes this.
The crown is the artificial tooth that is screwed or cemented onto each individual implant. Once again there are a huge range of different types of crowns each with their own benefits and prices. Go here to read more about dental crowns.
If the bone in your jaw is narrow or soft, then an implant will not have a good foundation and will most likely fail in a short period. This doesn’t mean that you can’t get an implant, however it does mean that you will most likely need a bone graft, where a piece of bone is removed from a different part of your body and grafted onto your jaw. This can add considerable expense.
The conditions of your teeth and gums also have an important role in determining your final price. Gum disease will need to be treated prior to the implant procedure; crowded teeth have to be accommodated etc. Normally this can only be discovered after the initial consultation with the dentist.
The single largest element that affects the overall price of an implant is the Dentists fee. Basically this is the amount he or she is charging once all their costs have been taken away. The variation in the dentist fee between countries is staggering with difference of up to 1000%.
Go here if you want to read more about Dental Implants