Are Dental Implants Affordable?
Charlotte, NC
 Dental implants are a game-changer when it comes to replacing teeth. Receiving dental implants at Myers Park Dental Partners can help re-establish bite function as well as aesthetics. When seeking dental implants, you will ask yourself what the cost of the restorations will be. Try to discuss with the dentist or oral surgeon about the procedure and how much it will cost you. If you are wondering whether dental implants are affordable, it is safe to say that although they are much more expensive than dentures or bridges, they are more cost-effective in the long run.
Effects of Tooth Loss
Missing teeth isn't fun and can bring a lot of problems for your oral health and smile aesthetics. Once you lose teeth, the remaining ones can move to take up the gap, hence causing misalignment. Food debris and plaque could lodge into the space, risking decay, cavities, and gum disease. Further, loss of teeth can make your face start curving in, thus causing changes in your facial appearance.
What is the Cost of Implants?
The typical price for dental implants is around $4,500, but because no two cases are the same, you could have the cost varying from $3,000 to around $5,800 per implant. If you are replacing all of the bottom or top teeth using full-arch fixed implant bridges, you could be talking a price range of $15,000 to $30,000 or higher per arch. Remember many things will influence the cost, so you have to discuss with the oral surgeon to get the precise amount.
What Influences Implant Costs?
How many teeth are being replaced is one thing that dictates the amount you are paying. Having more teeth implants placed implies paying more. Any preliminary procedures such as extractions and bone grafts will add more to the cost. In addition, the implant materials can cause a difference in price range with zirconia-fabricated implants costing more than titanium-based ones.
What Makes Dental Implants a Cost-Effective Option?
First, dental implants are fabricated of durable materials and can last a lifetime. The implant screws that act as the replacement roots of teeth are constructed of metal or strong materials like zirconia. Once you receive them, you won't be needing a replacement of the implant screws unless there is a problem like peri-implantitis. Just the crowns may need replacing since they wear out after some years of use.
Other tooth replacement choices like tooth-supported bridges don't have a long lifespan and will have to be replaced at some point. Clinical studies indicate that implant-supported crowns are very functional and effective even after 20 years of use in almost 95 percent of cases. While the upfront expenses for dental implants are high, over time, their lifespan and superior value mean that you will save money in the end.
What is Included in Dental Implant Costs?
During the consultation appointment, our dentist will assess your jawbone and teeth health. Diagnostic imaging is done during this visit, which involves 3D scans to get a detailed view. These imaging solutions may be paid for and featured in the implant's cost.
Further, the cost includes the surgery treatment where the dentist places the implant screw into the jawbone. There are impressions taken and provisional restorations provided while waiting for the lasting restorations.
Moreover, anesthesia and sedatives are featured in the cost because we want our patients to have a calm, pain-free experience. These also add to the cost. If you receive preliminary procedures, they will as well be added to the total cost of the implant placement procedure.
Not only do dental implants improve bite function and aesthetics, but also help promote dental health.
How Implants Prevent Bone Loss
After tooth loss, you will lose roughly 25 percent of the surrounding bone in the first 12 months, and the loss will continue to occur. Where there is no tooth in the jawbone, the empty gap deteriorates due to a lack of stimulation. As such, it is prudent to ensure you get dental implants without delay once the teeth are lost to prevent this kind of harm.
Dentures can hasten bone loss when they become loose. The reason is that they rub against the bony ridge, gradually wearing it away. The implant replaces the root as well as the tooth and chewing is restored to normal. As such, implants provide the needed stimulation for natural jawbone growth.
Dental Implants Can Prevent Facial Sagging and Premature Aging
An undesirable consequence of bone loss from lost teeth is facial sagging, which brings about premature aging. This is where the lower third of the face starts to collapse steadily, closing the distance between the tip of the nose and the chin. Variations can include excess wrinkles around the mouth, thinning lips, and a more pointed chin, making the person look a lot older than their true age.
Dental Implants Help in Curbing Gum Disease
The space where the lost teeth were before can serve as a trap or hiding place for bacteria and food, thus resulting in gum disease. Dental implants help eliminate their gap, thus discouraging bacteria and plaque or food particles from accumulating in the mouth.
Dental Implants Keep Adjacent Teeth Stable
The gap created after missing a tooth can facilitate the adjacent teeth to shift from their position to fill that space. When this happens, the other teeth are pulled out of position, hence affecting your bite ratio, appearance, and ability to chew. Additionally, it can cause hindrances later on when tooth replacement procedures are being conducted. A poorly aligned bite can result in issues with the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) and may bring about jaw pain and headaches.
Dentures are dental prostheses or replacement teeth that can be removed and serve as teeth for chewing and other functions. On the other hand, dental implants are replacement teeth that sit on top of a post surgically implanted directly into the bone. Dental implants provide a far superior experience compared to dentures. Dentures that initially fit the patient's mouth will begin to slip and become painful after a while due to increased bone loss.
Visit us at Myers Park Dental Partners to start your journey to getting new teeth to replace the lost ones. Our dental implant procedure is conducted by a highly trained implant specialist, so you will be in safe hands. Call us at (704) 332-2532 to set up a consultation. |
