Dental implants are titanium posts inserted into the jawbone and gum where they act as an anchor for artificial teeth or dentures. The procedure is considered to be a preferable alternative to wearing dentures. After a healing time that varies between three and six months, the tooth, called a crown, is fitted to the top of the post.
You may find that the costs of the procedure to insert titanium posts vary greatly between practitioners and it is definitely worth shopping around to compare prices. You could find price variations of thousands of dollars; there are a number of factors that can contribute to this.
It is worth shopping around to get the best price for this procedure but you need to be certain that everything that will be charged for is included on the quotes you receive. The only way you can properly compare prices is if each quote contains all the possible charges. There will be charges for the actual surgery, including an anesthesiologist, x-rays, medications, the titanium posts and the crowns and several consultation fees.
Shopping around will produce some discrepancy in costs which can be confusing; this is one reason why you need to know exactly what is covered in each quote you get. Also, the reputation and experience of the individual practitioner comes into play, as well as the location of the offices. A “dentist to the stars” is going to cost you more than the dentist down the road, for example, because they charge a higher fee.
There can also be a variation in the cost of the actual hardware needed for this procedure. As dental implants become more popular, new manufacturers have entered the field with more competitive prices for the same quality. Ask about a cheaper brand to bring the cost down. Different types of implants are needed for different requirements, depending on the number of teeth the post is to support. Make sure you understand what needs to be done in your case.
An item that is commonly left off a quote is the cap or abutment that goes onto the post before the crown can be fitted. Some practitioners like to fit a temporary crown to the post while waiting for the site to heal and this may not be on the quote either. Both of these items may also come in a cheaper brand so it pays to ask.
Another factor that sometimes increases the costs is the suitability for the procedure of the gums and bones of the patient. In these cases, a bone graft might be needed to ensure the procedure is successful and this will obviously add to the total cost.
When you are first examined, there might be gum disease present or your teeth may be crowded, both of which need to be treated before the surgery can go ahead. All this adds to the cost of the total procedure.
Some medical insurance policies don’t cover dental implants Toronto so you might like to ask about payment options and time payment plans that may be available with each practitioner. Because of the high cost of the procedure, many dentists do offer some type of payment plan. Dental colleges have students who need to learn how to perform various procedures and usually offer services at a reduced rate. While a student would do the work, full supervision is given by a qualified dentist.
Dr. Eric Rouah & Associates 5000 Yonge Street, Suite 107, Toronto, ON M2N 7J8 (416) 224-0677 a Toronto cosmetic dentist providing you with the most advanced cosmetic and general dentistry procedures such as teeth whitening, porcelain veneers Toronto and dental implants.