Dental Implants Cost - Buyer Experiences and Price Information

I work in a hospital business office. I have seen our actual invoices for implants, such as cardiac pacemakers and joint implants. The inflation is astounding. We may charge $25,000.00 for a pacemaker, but we may only actually pay $3,000.00 for it from the supplier. So in response to "dentist in Houston, TX", I can't imagine your "hardware" being nearly as expensive as you say it is. I know that in the healthcare industry, between the provider and the insurance company lies the patient's fragile existence and the two on the ends could care less. The patient is always the one that suffers. Granted, your are not the garbage man, but that doesn't give you the right to take people for everything they are worth. Your branch of healthcare deals with a very sensitive area and alot of patients have psychological issues pertaining to the way their teeth look. In my opinion, there is only one other comparable business to dentistry....the mortuary business.

I was quoted $1860.00 by my insurance company however it wasn't covered by my insurance because the tooth was lost before I was covered by my present company. Dentist aggreed with the cost estiment until I showed up to start the proceedure. The is suddenly jumped to $3660.00. I walked out, prepped for the proceedure and all. Buyer beware!! Next time I will get it in writing. Obviously, I am changing dentists!

I wish someone trustworthy would explain to me why this has to cost so much. Clear Choice wanted 57,000. Another dentist wants to charge me 32,400 for the following:
transitional upper denture, surgical guide, 6 surgical placement of implant body, implant supported upper denture, 2 surgical placement of implant body, and 4 implant supported crowns. I have two implants on the bottom that I bought in Mexico so he's going to finish those as included in this quote. I'd like to know why this stuff has to cost so much money. I would really like to see a breakdown of all costs involved and I'd really like to know how much profit this guy is going to make.
If I found out this guy is making more than 30%, I'd go back to mexico, or just do without. Are there any dental professionals that have the integrity or courage enough to step up to the plate and explain these charges to us?

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I have been quoted at least $40 thousand to reconstruct my mouth... After reading all the testimonies...I have not read one comment about a �Guarantee� of completed restorations.

The bottom line here is that it (any dental experience) is a crap shoot. I made what I thought was intelligent dentist selections and (like my mother thinking she was doing the right thing sending her family of 6 to this butchering clinic...) here I am back looking at another $40 thousand bill. Just think all this in the name of having a decent smile! The smile that was fine until dentists did their thing� starting at nine years old for me!!!!! Completely down hill from then to as I write this dissertation.

...and people wonder why folks go postal...!!!!

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It would take a book to share my dental experiences. Starting at 9 yrs old going to a clinic for "Poor" folk and having mainly foreign dentists drill or pull a tooth without any nova cane.

Fast forward� my life (now nearly 70 yrs old) has involved as many as 15 dentists all over the country. With the exception on one Newport News, VA dentist...all the other dentists were incompetent. How do I know this? Well, I am not a dentist, did not go to school for dentistry and when I go to a dentist I "Believe" that he/she knows what he/she is doing. WRONG!!!! The last dentist I paid cash (aprox� $18,000 +) for 5 implants connecting bridges, 2 crowns. Removal of good teeth (he strongly advised this...again, I trusted his opinion...he is the specialist!) Fast forward...He, the dentist, employed inept labs to do all the prosthetics. After several attempts to get it right and lots of force in trying to get the wrong fit into my mouth� I have what looks like two off white lima bean front teeth! Miss matched crowns in size and color and the dentist told me I looked wonderful. As if I was a retard!

I did a great deal of research before going to this Plantation, Florida implant specialist. He really should have his license taken away...but, per an attorney, it is very difficult to prove a dentist is incompetent. So, here I am right back to point zero. I am now trying to make a decision on how I can afford to have the entire mouth of miss matched, off white lima bean teeth redone.

I had 2 teeth pulled that were under a old rotted permanet dental bridge appox. 14 years old. 2 teeth pulled, panorex x-rays, two, Flipper (HATE IT)
had bone grafting, 2 surgeries, with only local, no IV, teeth whiting on front teeth so I didn't have to get yellow new bridge and finally porclen permant new 3 piece bridge over implants, had infection on tooth on other side of my mouth and had to wait to get my income tax money to pay for all of the stuff I had done by the 2 dentists who did all the work for me my Aetna dental plan negociated the price for the oral surgeon from 4k to $2,700.00 for the implants & plus the 2k + for the bridge, long ride but worth it*

Went to 4th Street Dental Spa in Louisville Kentucky for a complimentary implant consultation. The next week my surgery was scheduled with thier complete relaxation package and spa membership. Since I didn't have insurance the spa membership was my best option. For $99 dollars I got my complete exam,cleaning x-rays and a 20% discount on my dental work. Came in for my implant and bone graft and was given 2 valium and laughing gas while they did the work. Only took about an hour and I didn't feel a thing.After I was done they gave me a complimentary massage from thier massage therapist. I go back in 3mo to get my crown. The whole thing only cost me $1500 including implant,post,crown,cleaning,ect and they even got me 12mo interest free financing. Dr.Long rocks!

3) Though we try our best (I certainly do), it is difficult to explain everything I know about the procedures I plan to perform to a patient who has never set foot in a dental classroom. In 4 years we learn the basics; it takes years after that to become a master. There is a certain amount of faith that the patient must have in their doc. The best way to establish this is to get to know him/her. We'll never be able to explain all the dentistry to everyone's satisfaction unless you'd like to go to dental school. We went to school and continue to educate ourselves and are only called doctors and licensed to practice because we know what we're doing. You see a few bad apples on the news, and you may be tempted to put us all into that category, but it's wrong. You'll never see me in the news, because I'm out there fighting the good fight, and that doesn't make good news.

Get to know your dentist personally, and if you don't like them, get another. That's the best way to avoid rotten dentists and people in general.

I see a lot of concerns here that I hear from my patients as well. 1) I'm not out there trying to make the mega-millions, but I would like to make enough such that I feel like it was worth going through 4 years of pure hell in dental school (that I had to PAY to endure), specialty training after that, and whatever continuing education (I have to PAY for) after that. We're regular people who generally care enough to go the extra distance and learn how to take care of folks in a way that they can't take care of themselves, but you'll be hard-pressed to find someone willing to do all this without monetary compensation. Someone who talks about paying the docs as much as the garbage-man . . . Nothin' wrong with being a garbage-man, but it sure is easier than being a dentist. So, if that happens, I imagine I and the majority of my colleagues will quit dentistry and become garbage-men and the like . . . the same goes for the MDs. Then where will we be? . . .

2) Implants are not just a 2-hour procedure for $3000 or what-have-you. There is a lot of planning and the actual hard-ware is quite expensive. It's not like we're putting a toothpick in your jaw and gluing a tooth on top. Implants are almost entirely titanium alloy (so that the body does not reject them), have very small parts, have to be precisely machined, and have to withstand forces of anywhere from 50-200lbs on such a small structure.

I had tooth 19 that could not be saved with a root canal. The back wall had decay down to the bone and it could not be sealed with a crown. My medical insurance (Cigna) paid for the extraction, my part was $35.00. The implant is going to cost me$1,500 and my medical won�t pay and my dental (Met Life) will pay 50% up to 2,000 a year for crowns, bridges, partials and dentures. The extraction and implant were done by a Prosthodontist and the crown will be done by my dentist. The crown will cost me around $300.00 at 50%. My total will be around $1,830 in all for one implant by the time it�s done. If you have an extraction, don�t smoke or vomit if you can help it. Both can cause dry sockets and Dry sockets are what cause bad and unnecessary pain afterwards.

I had nine upper teeth that had been root canaled, and all my lower teeth have been crowned. This was a quote to remove nine teeth above and replace with four implants and a permanent bridge would attach to the implants -- representing nine teeth. The remaining crowns would all be removed, cleaned and two root canaled and then replaced with new porcelain crowns. This will take one half my life savings to accomplish. I know I need to have something done, but I believe the cost is drastically inflated. I am not sure what to think.

I was quoted today when I went in for my consultation almost $14,000. That includes everything for the procedure. Included: Zoom whitening, $1,000 (CT scan, molds/impressions and initial visit), anesthesia, 2 implants, 2 temporary crown, 2 permanent teeth and follow up visit for permanent teeth placement. Additional cost to the $14,000-I also have to have a baby tooth (yes I know) pulled and the adult tooth pulled under it before the implant procedure (instead of doing bracing for a yr to pull the adult tooth down, I'm thinking I'll just get an implant). I need a molar pulled because it is cracked and needs a root canal. And a cleaning before the whitening is done which isn't included in the price (unless in the Zoom treated price it is included). Too much?!

My four front top teeth have very shallow root structure to the point that they will need to come out within the next year or two. I was quoted 14k for the dental implants and only 5k for the fixed bridge. I'm 30 yrs old and not sure which to go. I'm leaning to the dental implants as it sounds like a final fix, but hesitant after hearing most of your *unexpected* costs. Suggestions.

Has anyone thought about getthing the implants in the us and then going to Mexico for the crown? I read that they can do the implants and crown for about 1200 each, but it takes a while for the implants to take and I would prefer to have the implants in the us since I think that's the most important part of the procedure??

Insurance capped at around $2k/year - capped both of them 2 years in a row.

This is ridiculous for only one tooth $8k (with insurance)?! - this price includes oral exams, xrays, bone graft, dental impact (some bad tooth was left they needed to scrape out), IV sedation & nitrous, healing implant, zirconia crown and prosthesis. All procedures will have taken about 1 year to complete.

Went to the suggested Oral surgeon by my new dentist. Staff quoted me 2400 per implant. Luckily I still have my baby teeth in place so this isn't urgent and I was able to walk away. The other remaining 400 I guess was for the extraction and sedation. But I've heard you may not need sedation. What do you suggest? Local or sedation?

After this consult I went and signed up for a discount plan to help with cost because insurance maxes out at $1000. The oral surgeon was listed as a provider on plan but when I sent the card over and asked what the new price was they said they did not accept the discount plan. After I cancelled the girl on the phone asked if I wanted to still come in for the extraction! What an idiot!!! Why would I want to take them out and not have anything put back in? Dentist are becoming as bad as used car salesmen. What a shame?

I was quoted 57,00.00 or 50,000.00 if paid cash by ClearChoice here in Atlanta. This would include bone craft on upper and full restoration.
I am 67 and worked hard for my money, this still seem so expensive...even if the Rep at ClearChoise says I'm worth it!

I needed full-mouth implants as my teeth were crumbling from the root. I was unable to afford it last yr, and had dentures made and had those implanted. This is not what i wanted at all, but I will have to live with it until business picks up again later. I only spent about $5,000. They look good, but they are def not like having my real teeth. If I was older, I probably wouldn't mind, but I just turned 40.

My husband had full mouth implants last year. The cost was $52,000 with a $5,000 discount for paying in cash, total $47,000. This was with Clear Choice in Phoenix, AZ.They extracted his teeth and did some bone grafting. The doctors were excellent and the staff was very friendly. We jumped the gun a bit and should have shopped around for better price. The implant cleaning is 2x a year at a cost of $150.00 which is not included in the total cost. With what it cost us, I believe the cleaning should be included for a lifetime.

One tooth failed in an expensive specialty root cannel procedure. It needs to be extracted. My first question is can it be extracted and put the implant at same time to save any additional suffering. My second question is can anyone recommend a good place to do the implant with reasonable price (I have no insurance)

Had review of 8 missing teeth done by local Surgeon. Cost for 6 implants and extraction of 2 teeth, general anesthesia and x rays was approx $9700.00. Will meet with dds tomorrow and find the additional cost to place teeth on posts. That should show me the bottom line. Has anyone found any good insurance that would help defray some of the costs?

I had to have bone graft.
Flipper $750.
Implant, incl. graft $4525.
CT Scan $425
Porc/Cer Crown $2600

A TOTAL AND ABSOLUTE RIP OFF BECAUSE IT IS BEVERLY HILLS

As of today I have completed a 10 month run of dental work costing well over $11,000. I wish to speak only to the implants. The background to the job was a 6 tooth bridge (front 6 teeth) placed over three good teeth, the two front teeth and one lateral incisor having been taken in a car accident. 25 years later, the incisors beneath the bridge began to deteriorate, necessitating dental options. I chose to go with caps over the old eye teeth posts, which cost over $2000. As for the middle four teeth, I had the two lateral incisors extracted and implants inserted, all in one operation, with 8 months to heal and a flipper employed during that time. That cost $4500. The four tooth bridge was manufactured in two pieces; a one piece metal sub frame attaching to the mouth via two screws to the implant cylinders. Over top of that, a one piece four tooth ceramic (porcelain) unit, attaching via one screw through the back, to the metal subframe. The two piece install allows the dentist to easily remove the pieces every few years for a thorough cleaning. The two piece bridge cost $6500, for a total of $11,000. There were extraneous costs over the 10 months for another $1,000. This is what you can expect to pay in Canada, on average. My dental coverage paid $600 (six hundred) for all six teeth, mostly for the extraneous charges and two extractions. I work for a medium sized company at over 2500 employees. That's not good coverage in my opinion. What were my options? None, mind full dentures which would have been mostly covered, or a flipper plate. Right... However, the final job is quite well done. Keep in mind the lab that your dentist procures is an important player in the whole job; the colour, depth, and texture of the tooth surface is their job, and these look like the real McCoy. Stronger than the old bridge by a long shot. With luck and good dental hygiene they will last 30+ years.

extractions of existing teeth covered by insurance. Four implants on bottom and two on top with denture bridge that snap on will be a total of $24,000 according to the periodontist and dentist doing the crowns/denture design. Received much higher estimate for more implants and permanent installed denture structure - can't afford it.

You know I understand why some Dental work costs so much but why with implants. And why will insurance concure some of the cost! I've had a partial/flipper since Iwas 11yo... I havent been able to eat an apple like everyone else since then, I'm 31 now.. Almost every dentist I go to just wants to pull the remaining teeth I have and give me full Dentures... They have all this new technoligy and they dont even want to talk to me about them... Today I went to the Dentist for two to get removed... and 2 added to my partial.. I spent 45 minutes talking to him about my ideas and why I would want almost real teeth again(ones that you cant remove).... I told him I know it's going to be atleast $10000 and money is no object. I'm scruffy and have long hair and a fucked up smile.. He's working it so my insurance pays for most of the work but the accual procedure will be out of pocket. It's not even gonna cost 1/4 of what I thought. I've spent a better part of 10 years looking for a dentist to do what I need done. I've been to more than 150 dentists thru out OHIO!!! And I finally found one and just wanted to share that if you are diligent enough you will find someone to help you and see the side of the embarrisment of being 21 at a college party puking and having your teeth fly out of your mouth into the toilet or being sick having a coughing fit and teeth go flying!!!! And I also think the metal partials should be outlawed due to they cause your other teeth to rot and go bad..

When one dental implant is going to be done, should I choose a local or general anesthesia?

I was pleasantly surprised when I went to the Dental Implant Surgery Center. I was first presented with a "no cost' consultation, which included visit with the doctor. A financial agreement was presented to me with several options, one was a discount for cash, one was a 3 month interest free, and one was a third party finance. I had the implant placed. The doctor was truly a "no pain" doctor as he said he would be. Very gentle and patient with me. Sooo much better than destroying two good teeth to place a bridge. Appreciate this web site it gave me a heads up as to what to expect.

I have periodontal disease and wated a full set on implants. I was quoted 54K for the entire procedure. I am now shopping around. Clear Choice is a car dealership for teeth. Nice facility, they come on too strong with the sales pitch. Shop around

Had 8 implants placed after 13 extractions on my upper jaw approx. 13 years ago porcelain restoration is beautiful and problem and pain free ever since. Juvenile peridontitus was the cause of my problem and it onset at 23 years old, went through numerous periodontal surgerues abcesses, crowns prior to the implants....they were a lifesaver and look and feel totally natural. Friday I will be having my last four natural teeth extracted and six implants placed in my lower jaw.....total cost of both surgeries and restorations is approximately $55K insurance did not cover any of the $25K from the first surgery, we will see if blue cross blue shield of Illinois covers anything this time....wish me luck! A suggestion to those undergoing full restorations of upper or lower jows, USE GENERAL ANESTHETIA is is a very invasive procedure and takes a long time it is worth the 2K extra.

Where in the hell do these insurance companies get off thinking that dental implants are "cosmetic?!!?" I'm sorry, but if I have a perfectly good tooth, why on earth would I voluntarily have it removed so I could get an implant there instead?! Are you kidding me?!?!? I want those jerks who came up with that "cosmetic" rule to go through the years of pain, tooth loss, embarassment, not being able to smile with their mouths open, or eat certain foods, and see how "cosmetic" they think an implant is then!
Do they really think the average person can afford to pay thousands upon thousands of dollars to have a couple missing teeth replaced?? Maybe I'll have to go to Mexico to have the work done instead...at least it would save me from going broke, just so I can smile like a normal person again!