9 Factors That Influence the Cost of Dental Implants

It’s difficult to come up with an average cost for dental implants. The average cost is around $2000 for a single implant. But they can range from about $1000 to $3000 per implant.

And if you’re talking about a full set up implants, the variation in pricing gets even bigger. A full set up implants can start around $24,000 and go up to $100,000 or so.

So why such the big range in costs? Glad you asked! There are a number of factors that go into determining the cost of dental implants. Below we’re going to look at 9 of the main factors that can affect the costs.

How Many Implants You Need

You probably won’t be surprised to know that how many implants you need is the biggest factor that impacts how much implants end up costing you. The more implants you need to be implanted, the higher the costs are going to be for you. 

Initial Evaluation

It takes a good bit of work for your dentist to evaluate your situation and design the right implant plan for you. This involves doing a thorough exam of your teeth, missing teeth, gums, and jawbone. As part of this exam, the dentist may need to take X-rays, CT scans and/or other sorts of tests and scans to get an accurate picture of what needs to be done. How many scans are done and what types of tests need to be done can add to the final implant bill.

Your Oral Health

The healthier your mouth is overall, the lower the costs of getting implants will be. That’s because people who have poor oral health often have other procedures or treatments that need to be done before getting implants that increase the costs involved. This may include having weak, broken or diseased teeth extracted. Or, in cases where the jawbone is not able to support an implant, a bone graft procedure may be required. Any additional treatments and procedures like this can add quite a bit to the final bill for implants. 

The Material Used

Implants are made out of different kinds of materials. Each material has it’s own pros and cons – so there is a definite balance between costs and the quality of the materials used. It’s best to go over the different options with your dentist, understand the benefits and drawbacks of each materials, how much each one costs and decide which one makes the most sense for your situation.

What Kind of Replacement Teeth Are Used

The implant is just the part of the replacement tooth that gets anchored into the jawbone. You still need the actual replacement tooth itself. And, there too, you will have a number of different options available to you. Because the replacement tooth is the part that people might actually see, it pays to think through your options and choose the one that is best for you. Typically the replacement tooth options that are the strongest, last the longest and are the most realistic looking, have the highest price tags.

The Location of the Implants

Where in your mouth the implants will be placed will also have an impact on their costs. For example, it’s hard to get to the back lower part of the jaw so some implant dentists will charge more for implants placed there. Implants that go in the very front of the mouth may cost more as well. This is because they are the most prominent implants and dentists want to take extra time and care to make sure the implants placed up front look as good as possible.

Geography

If you live in a large metro area, especially on the coasts (or major population centers such as Chicago and Houston), you can expect to pay more for implants. If you want to save some money, you may want to consider going to a less populated area.

Your Cosmetic Dentist’s Level of Experience

Cosmetic dentists who have undergone more rigorous training, who have been practicing longer and just generally have more experience are usually going to charge more. 

The Number of Other Professionals Involved

The cosmetic dentist won’t be the only one involved in the dental implant procedure. There may be an anesthesiologist involved for the actual implant surgery. There will probably be a lab involved to make your replacement teeth. All these professionals and others involved can add to the costs of your implant procedure.

The above are 9 of the main factors that affect the cost of dental implants. Hopefully this gives you a much better idea of why there is usually such a wide range in costs given for implants. It really does depend on your unique situation. The only way to know exactly what implants will cost you is to visit some implant dentists in your area and have them give you an estimate.