Affordable Dental Implants for People Suffering From Missing Teeth
Dental implants have grown in popularity in recent years thanks to their longevity and effectiveness, but truth be told, a dental implant procedure can be a very expensive way to replace natural teeth.
That said, there are a few factors you should take into account when finding and choosing a dental implant method that will be within your budget. Much of this comes down to understanding the types of implants available. Let’s explore the differences between these implants and find which options provide the best results for the greatest value.
Dental Implants Overview: What Are Their Benefits?
If you are just beginning your journey towards finding a solution for your missing teeth and you are considering dental implants, it is important to know what kind of benefits implants have to offer. Dental implants can have a lot of advantages, especially when compared to older methods of teeth replacement like dentures or dental bridges.
Dentures are a cheap solution for missing teeth, but they don’t look as natural as dental implants. Dentures are also easily displaced, and foods like popcorn, steak, and coffee aren’t denture-friendly. Even if you support your dentures using dental implants, dentures need to be replaced every three to six years, while dental implants can last for over two decades. Similarly, dental bridges were a popular solution in the past, but they often fail and need to be replaced. This eliminates any benefits of their cost-effectiveness.
Unlike these older methods, dental implants act as a replacement for the root of your missing teeth, which helps to preserve the bone that previously surrounded your root. Implants integrate with your jawbone, and the bone grows up and around the implant in order to support it.
A common justification for the high cost of dental implants comes from their longevity and their comfort. In the long run, dental implants are often much more comfortable than dentures or bridges because they act similarly to a normal tooth and they do not require the same kind of regular cleaning and maintenance as dentures.
What Types of Dental Implants Can I Choose From?
Another benefit of dental implants is that there are several different types of implants available depending on your specific needs. The two main types of implants are as follows:
Endosteal implants: Endosteal implants are the most common type of implant, and they are placed into your jawbone so the bone will eventually grow up and around the implant to support it. Endosteal implants are usually made of titanium, and they are shaped like small screws. That said, in order to get endosteal implants, you need to have a certain amount of natural bone. If your jawbone is too thin, a bone grafting or augmentation procedure is typically necessary before endosteal implants can be placed.
Subperiosteal implants: Rather than being placed inside the jawbone, subperiosteal implants are placed on or above the jawbone, but still below your gums. This type of implant can come in handy if your natural jawbone is inadequate for endosteal implants, but you do not want to undergo a bone augmentation procedure. Unfortunately, subperiosteal implants have a higher failure rate than endosteal implants—up to 50 percent.
Within these two main categories of implants, there are many subcategories, such as:
Immediate load implants: Immediate load implants are often also referred to as same-day implants. This kind of implant allows an artificial tooth to be placed during the same appointment as the placement of the implant itself. Like endosteal implants, costly bone grafting or augmentation procedures may be necessary if a patient does not have enough natural bone remaining. Immediate load implants can shed some time off of the traditional implant procedure, which can take months to heal in between appointments. The biggest risk for immediate load implants is that there is a high potential to damage the process of fusion to the bone, which can lead to implant failure.
Mini dental implants: Sometimes called narrow-diameter implants, this type of implant is about the size of a toothpick, making them much more narrow than conventional implants. Because they are more narrow, mini dental implants can be placed through a less-invasive procedure, and they can also be used to stabilize a lower denture. Their size also means that more implants may be required if a patient is replacing multiple teeth, and there is limited scientific knowledge about their long-term survival.
The kind of implant that is right for you depends on your individual situation, and your dentist will be able to explain which type of implant is best suited for your dental care and why.
How Much Do Dental Implants Cost? Are There More Affordable Options?
Now that we have touched on some of the different implant options that may be available, it is important to keep in mind that different types of implants have different price points.
The material an implant is made of, how many implants you need, and the location where the implant will need to be placed are all factors that help determine how much your implants will cost.
So… how much do implants usually cost, anyway?
(Spoiler: it’s a lot. If you’re ready to skip the number crunch and get to a real solution for missing teeth that’s actually affordable, click here to check out Stabili-Teeth™!)
General Cost of Traditional Dental Implants
As mentioned above, the true cost of your implants depends on several factors, with the number of implants you need being the biggest contributor to the price.
Dental implants can also be made more expensive by accompanying procedures such as:
X-rays
Anesthesia
Oral exams
Tooth extraction
Bone graft /augmentation (due to bone loss or inadequate bone structure)
That said, looking for all-inclusive prices can help save you from any surprise bills.
Generally, fixed full-mouth implants range in price from $18,000 to $28,000. Single dental implants typically cost $4,800, but they can range in price anywhere from $3,500 to $6,700.
Ways To Make Implants More Affordable
The pricing of traditional implants can be disheartening, but there are a few ways to get high-quality, low-cost dental implants.
Below are a couple of different dental implant solutions that are more affordable:
Implant-supported dentures can bring you the stability of implants at a lower cost. With implant-supported dentures, the dentures snap-in for improved stabilization but can still be taken out for cleaning and other care. That said, you should keep in mind that dentures do not function like regular teeth, and they require proper maintenance in order to remain in good condition. Even with implant-supported dentures, you should still avoid nuts, seeds, and hard, sticky foods. Implant-supported dentures have many of the same disadvantages as traditional dentures including their limited shelf life and artificial appearance.
Full-arch implant solutions like implant-supported bridges can be permanent or semi-permanent, and this option requires much less maintenance than options involving dentures. That said, bridges are still prone to wearing down over time and they generally need to be replaced eventually. Implant-supported bridges are typically only an option if a row of three or more teeth needs to be replaced, and it can take multiple months to complete the process—not including the time it will take to augment the jaw bone if fortification is needed to support the implant.
If these dental treatment options are also not for you, don’t worry -- Stabili-Teeth™ is just the solution you need.
The Stabili-Teeth™ Protocol
Stabili-Teeth™ was created as an affordable improvement to traditional overdentures. Stabili-Teeth™ itself is not a denture, but it builds upon the aspects of dentures that have been successful while acting as a cost-effective solution to the problems caused by traditional dentures such as uncomfortable palatal coverage and poor stabilization. Stabili-Teeth™ is significantly more affordable and clinically on-par with ClearChoice.
The Stabili-Teeth™ protocol uses a combination of narrow diameter implants and conventional-sized implants, meaning the procedure is an easier surgery than traditional methods. With Stabili-Teeth™’s affordable procedure, you get immediate stabilization of provisional teeth on your day of surgery, then the final prostheses are attached once your mouth heals. These provisional teeth ensure that you will not be left with no tooth functionality during any stage of the implant process, and you keep the provisional teeth as a backup even after the process is complete.
Stabili-Teeth™ is more affordable than other methods at an all-inclusive price of $12,500 for one arch or $21,500 for full mouth restoration. Stabili-Teeth™ provides all of the same benefits as fixed attachable implants—but while fixed attachable implants are prohibitively expensive for most patients, Stabili-Teeth™ achieves the same results at a significantly lower cost.
If you are ready to get your life back without breaking the bank, you can schedule a consultation online using our form that asks you about the current state of your teeth and overall oral health. Stabili-Teeth™ can help you bring joy back into your life, and it comes with a 5-year warranty -- that’s how confident we are that our same-day, lower-cost stable solution to missing teeth is the best option out there! If you want to eat salad, steak, and smile again, choose Stabili-Teeth™.
The Bottom Line
If you are in need of a solution for your missing teeth, traditional dental implants can be effective, long-lasting, and stable, but they’re also extremely expensive.
Because there are a few different types of implants available, it is important to be mindful of the fact that some implants cost more than others, and you should get an estimate from your dental office and/or other dental practices before making any decisions. There are, however, a few ways you can incorporate dental implant surgery into your treatment plan without the traditionally high costs. While implant-supported dentures and bridges are available at a lower cost than implants, their results are sub-optimal compared to newer treatment options.
Stabili-Teeth™ has transformed dentistry, making tooth replacement more modern and affordable while helping you get your life back by using a unique combination of narrow diameter implants and conventional-sized implants.
The Stabili-Teeth™ treatment process has the same longevity as traditional implant placements, but at an affordable price. Furthermore, on your day of surgery, you can be set up with a full set of stabilized, immediate provisional teeth until the final prostheses are placed once your mouth heals.
With Stabili-Teeth™, the solution is modern and affordable so that you can bring joy back into your life!
Get started with Stabili-Teeth™ today by clicking here!
Sources:
Full Mouth Dental Implants (perio.org)
Types of Implants & Techniques - Types of implants & techniques (aaid-implant.org)
Dental implants: cost, types, and procedure (authoritydental.org)
The Options for Inexpensive Dental Implants Vary (penndentalmedicine.org)