Tooth Implant Cost Per Tooth – Here’s What You Need To Know

One of the most frequently asked questions a dentist will get is “what does a tooth implant cost, per tooth? The straightforward answer is that here in Australia it averages somewhere between $3000 and $7000. However, there are many factors that can influence or sway the cost.

The fact is that no two dental implant procedures or indeed, implant patients are alike. Each one comes with their unique set of circumstances so the number of appointments, procedures and ultimately, the cost of tooth implants, will vary.

Having said that, while the cost of an implant-based restoration might appear pretty steep initially, as a long-term solution, they actually work out pretty favourably when compared to other missing tooth replacement options. As an example, conventional dentures and bridges have a lower initial cost; but because of the fact that they only have an average life of somewhere around 7-10 years that cost may well be repeated, several or more times over the lifespan of a patient. But it doesn’t stop there. Patients may also have to buy soaking solutions, fixatives, and specialised cleaners, so the price can soon mount up.

Alternatively, when you purchase a dental implant, it’s easily possible that you can have it for life, however long that might be. So you really do buy once and once only, making a tooth implant cost, not as expensive as you might think.

Low priced dental implants – Is there such a thing?

I’m sure that you’ve probably come across adverts detailing exceptionally low prices for a tooth implant. The question is, are they too good to be true? Unfortunately and inevitably, the answer is pretty much, always yes. As an example, let’s say you’re flicking through the Sunday paper and you come across a coupon advertising a tooth implant with a price tag of just $499. That’s way lower than even the bottom end price of $3000 that they should cost. The question is why? On the whole, a price like that is normally a lead in figure – or rather – that’s the price for fitting the implant only. Chances are if you read the small print, or go further and make an enquiry, you’ll discover that you have to pay another $750 for the abutment and at least another $1500 for the crown. So in reality, you really aren’t saving any money – Okay, so probably a few hundred dollars maybe, but this could be the difference between a quality implant from a proven manufacturer and a lesser implant from a start-up brand. Do you really want a cut-price service when it comes to your health?

So how do you know that you are getting a good tooth implant price?

Quite simply, you need to ask the right questions. Here’s what you should be asking…

 

Does the price include bone augmentation?

In many cases, patients who have had a missing tooth or teeth for a while will have suffered from bone loss. This is the process by which bone tissue that once surrounded the tooth root is absorbed back into the body because it’s no longer needed. This is why the shape of the face changes and incidentally, is also why conventional dentures only have a shelf life of 7-10 years. The problem with bone loss when fitting dental implants is that a tooth implant needs a healthy bone mass in order to anchor into. Therefore, one way that dental surgeons can place implants into those with limited bone is to perform a bone graft. Otherwise known as bone augmentation, this is where bone tissue is taken from one place and transferred onto the implant site. Clearly, as a further but often necessary, surgical procedure, this is likely to add to the cost.

Does the tooth implant price include all component parts?

Most tooth implants come in 3 parts. The implant – or rather the titanium screw that’s anchored into the jawbone; the abutment – the collar that acts as a shock absorber between the implant and the crown; and the crown itself. As already explained, not all dentists state (rightly or wrongly) this in their advertising, so when considering how much does a dental implant cost per tooth, you really need to know if that’s an ‘all in’ price!

 

What about the implant brand – who makes it?

While there may appear something quite elitist about implant brands, the truth is that the more well known and expensive brands are generally the ones that will give you a better chance of making your implant last.

Why?

Quite simply because the larger, well-established companies have invested millions of dollars into researching what makes the ideal dental implant. What’s more, they have a proven track record with the clinical research to boot. This is what makes them more expensive and reassuringly so. On the flip side of that, take the start-up company who have just bought their implant to market. They can’t compete with the big brands on provenance, so they do the only thing that they can really do and that’s compete on price! Most don’t have the funds to undergo years of clinical testing before bringing their products to market and as such, dentists and indeed patients for that matter, don’t really know for sure what they’re buying.

As you can see, there are many factors to take into consideration when looking into a tooth implant cost per tooth. As such, any dentist worth their salt will be more than happy to answer your questions. At the end of the day, it’s your health we’re talking about, so it really pays to do your homework first.

The importance of credentialing

The main takeaway here is not so much about how cheaply you can purchase dental implants but more importantly, about sourcing the dentist or dental team with the right experience. The fact is that in this day and age, most dentists offer dental implants, but how many dentists have the experience to change tack and adapt if an implant-based restoration doesn’t initially go according to the plan? This is the crucial factor because every implant restoration is different. There’s no one size fits all method and adaptability is crucial to delivering the best chance of implant success for each individual patient. Dental Implants are an investment that you’ll love for a variety of reasons, but none of those should be based on the initial price you have to pay.

The Home of Digital Implant Dentistry

Here at the Digital Dental Implants Institute, we’re at the cutting edge of digital dentistry in Sydney. At our state-of-the-art practice, we help people to restore their smiles using the very latest computer-guided and flapless dental implant techniques. We make dental implant surgery and many other dental treatments more efficient, accurate, and safer for our patients leading to less surgery time and a speedier recovery. What’s more, we do it with a gentle, patient-centred and highly-experienced approach. As such, we’re more than happy to discuss about tooth implant cost per tooth and what you can expect. We’ll give you open and honest information with which to base your dental decision on.

To find out more, why not book a consultation today by calling us on 02 8294 8656. We’re confident that you’ll be glad that you did!