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How much do dental implants cost? It’s a question we get asked a lot at Dovetail Dental and it’s fair enough, as dental implants can be a big decision, with hidden costs that can take you by surprise.
So, in this article, we’ll use our expertise and do our best to help unravel some of the costs, explaining the potential hidden extras you need to be aware of.
Explaining The Costs of Dental Implants
Unfortunately, asking ‘how much is a dental implant’ is a bit like asking ‘how much is a taxi journey’ when you’re on the meter. You need to know whether the price quoted will get you all the way to your destination, if the driver will take any long-winded routes, or if they’re likely to run into traffic that will ramp up the price.
To clear things up at the start of the dental implant journey, you need a dental examination and investigation by a dental professional. This procedure is to gauge what needs doing and how much the costs are likely to be, and if there’s going to be any traffic in the road ahead.
Please remember, however, that an examination for a dental implant must be carried out by a professional dentist. Never accept quotes without a professional, full, and careful examination of your mouth.
Initial, Free Dental Implant Consultation
Many dental practices, including Dovetail Dental, offer a free initial dental implant consultation.
This allows everyone to meet and allows us to take a look at your situation, which helps us understand what you want to achieve from your dental implants. A relatively quick examination (without any prodding or sharp, pokey things) means that we can see the size of the gap, shape of the remaining gum, and assess the adjacent teeth.
Often at this stage, we can also give an outline price and tell you which alternative treatments may be possible to save you money on your dental implants.
More Detailed Dental Examination
Without a doubt, you will need further, more detailed examination, and even X-rays should you choose to commit to purchasing a dental implant procedure.
Sometimes, simple radiographs will suffice, but it is now becoming increasingly popular to take 3D bone scans to really understand the shape of the underlying bone.
If the dental practice has their own bone scanner (CBCT), like we do, then the price will be lower than if you have to visit another practice to get the bone scan done.
Dental Implant Costs – Issues To Consider
But it’s not always plain sailing, there are a few things that can go wrong which is why that initial consultation is vital.
For example, teeth can fail which means removal, and it’s incredibly important that this is done very gently and carefully. Taking extra care and doing a good job here can help the implant perform better many years later. It’s also important to remove any traces of infection such as an old abscess associated with the failed tooth.
If the bone has been damaged, then some bone grafting may also be needed. Not getting bone grafting means that the implant gets put into the wrong place, or that the bone around it is too thin and recedes away, exposing the metalwork.
It takes time for a dental implant to heal, and often, we can’t put a tooth onto the implant until the healing is complete. Filling the gap temporarily can be an expensive business, especially if you need a temporary bridge or denture, but fortunately there are some cheaper tricks of the trade that we provide at Dovetail.
Then, there’s the tooth to fit onto the implant – if you’re having a single crown then there may be a separate abutment, or it may be incorporated into the crown itself, although it doesn’t really affect the price either way. You may need to have an all ceramic crown or perhaps one that requires metal reinforcement but, again, this shouldn’t have much effect on the overall price.
Sometimes, particularly if you have a high or wide smile, you will need a temporary crown first. This is better described as a prototype crown, as it can be modified and adjusted after fitting to encourage the gums to heal into the correct shape. It also allows you to assess the tooth crown shape and projection. Once the crown is the perfect shape it can then be duplicated in the finished porcelain.
What Are The Best Kinds of Dental Implants?
There are hundreds of dental implant brands on the market, some expensive, some very cheap.
As a rule of thumb, the long established, best researched dental implants cost the most, which is true of most industries and brands. And while getting a cheaper brand has the appeal of saving you money, you need to remember that the goal of an implant is to last you a lifetime, and during that time you will certainly need the tooth on top changing.
You therefore need to be confident that spare parts will still be available for many years to come, so we recommend using a trusted, well established implant brand.
How Much Do Dental Implants Cost? An Overview
So, as you can see, when people ask ‘how much is a dental implant’ the answer is that it all depends, but here are some approximate figures:
A back tooth implant can cost anywhere between £2250 and £2750 all-inclusive, but you may need to account for extra expenditure if there’s a tooth to remove or grafting needed.
A front tooth will set you back between £2500 and £3000 and you’re much more likely to face additional costs for a temporary tooth to fill the gap. You may even need a prototype crown, so it’s safer to allow for around £3500 spend.
All in all, dental implant costs can vary, so it’s best to get in touch and book a free dental implant consultation to find out more.
Get in Touch with Dovetail
To book a free dental implant assessment or find out any more information on dental implants, get in touch today.
We’re friendly and knowledgeable, and have years of experience in the game. Give us a call on 0191 261 9911 to book a free assessment or get in touch here.
