How the “All-on-4” Can Save You Tens of Thousands of Dollars on the Cost of Dental Implants

This article discusses the various reasons the “All-on-4” dental implant technique enables patients to save, on average, $25,000 on the cost of fixed oral rehabilitation.

The innovation of newer and more sophisticated dental implant hardware, surgical procedures and medical technology has enabled qualified implant dentists to provide edentulous (toothless) and near-edentulous patients with an immediate and long-term solution to their oral problems. While we are used to cutting-edge technologies demanding a higher price, the reality of the “All-on-4” protocol is that it actually undercuts the traditional cost of dental implants by tens of thousands of dollars! In this article we shall be explaining exactly how…

The Cost of Dental Implants: What is the “All-on-4” Technique?

The “All-on-4” is a surgical protocol that was innovated by European implantologist Dr. Paulo Malo in collaboration with the world’s leading manufacturers of dental implants, Nobel Biocare. This advanced solution for edentulism and near-edentulism was not only designed to bypass the many challenges facing traditional surgical methods, for example, the need for bone grafting in patients presenting with substantial jaw bone loss. The “All-on-4” also offers patients a great number of advantages over traditional surgical techniques that actually end up lowering the overall cost of dental implants. In fact, the amount patients can expect to save on the cost of dental implants with the “All-on-4” is approximately $25,000 for straight-forward cases and, for more complex cases, as much as $45,000!

How on Earth does the more sophisticated surgical technique undercut the traditional cost of dental implants? For three predominant reasons:

1. Reducing the Cost of Dental Implants: The “All-on-4” Uses Fewer Implants for Fixed Oral Rehabilitation

Traditional dental implant surgery requires as many as 20 dental implants to provide edentulous or near-edentulous patients with a fixed, fully functional and aesthetic smile. The “All-on-4,” as the name suggests, only requires four dental implants to be placed per jaw. These implants are used to support a fully customized prosthetic dental bridge, which replaces every missing tooth in the mouth. When you consider that the cost of dental implants lies in the region of $3,000 to $4,000 per implant, you can appreciate just how expensive traditional surgical protocol could get! With only eight implants required for complete oral rehabilitation, the “All-on-4” already manages to substantially lower the cost of dental implants. But there’s more…

2. Reducing the Cost of Dental Implants: The “All-on-4” Requires a Single Surgery for Oral Rehabilitation

Traditional implant techniques generally require patients to undergo multiple surgeries in order to have up to 20 implants placed. These surgeries are separated by long periods of recovery, healing and endless consultations. As such, edentulous or near-edentulous patients are not only required to fork out a lot of money for the cost of dental implants, but also the cost of multiple surgeries, anesthetist bills, medications and time spent off from work. Surgery, as we all know, is never ever cheap, so the cost of dental implants plus surgery is - with traditional protocol - prohibitively high for many patients.

With the “All-on-4,” however, only four dental implants are being surgically placed per jaw, which is quite manageable with a single surgery of a few hours only. This sophisticated tooth replacement method not only reduces the number of dental implants required for oral rehabilitation, it also generally requires a single surgery only! This enables patients to save a substantial amount of money on the overall cost of dental implants.

3. Reducing the Cost of Dental Implants: The “All-on-4” Almost Always Avoids the Need for Bone Grafting Surgery

Many of the edentulous or near-edentulous patients who require a new set of teeth cannot have dental implants placed because they present with advanced bone loss in the jaw. This is caused by living with missing teeth or wearing removable dentures for many years. Without your tooth roots, the underlying jaw bone is allowed to atrophy and waste away. This would traditionally be remedied by bone grafting surgery, which is not only invasive and painful, but incredibly expensive too. It also requires many months of healing before the jaw bone is ready to support dental implants.

With the “All-on-4,” the precise positioning and angulation of only four dental implants in regions of the jaw that are more resistant to atrophy almost always enables the implant dentist to bypass bone grafting altogether. This strikes from the list yet another exorbitant expense for patients in need of oral rehabilitation, further reducing the cost of dental implants.

A Final Note on the Cost of Dental Implants

These three important factors (the number of dental implants, the number of surgeries and the need for bone grafting) enable edentulous and near-edentulous patients to save a staggering $25,000 on the cost of dental implants. Better yet, the patients who have been wearing removable dentures for many years and would traditionally require bone grafting surgery first are looking at saving an incredible $45,000 on the cost of dental implants!

Money, Money, Money… All About Implants Dental Costs

This article takes a comprehensive look at all the hardware, technology, services and treatments that come included in the cost quotation of dental implant surgery.

Did you know that the implants dental costs you pay don’t only cover a single component of hardware, the replacement tooth? Actually, the implant dental costs quoted to you by your dentist include many different procedures and services. Many patients baulk at what they believe they have to pay for just the implant hardware when in fact, the quotation is comprehensive. So, in order to help you appreciate just what you’re getting when you opt to replace a missing tooth with this sophisticated dental technology, we’re going to discuss what all these services, components of hardware and procedures are.

Implants Dental Costs: The Hardware

A dental implant consists of more than just a visible replacement tooth or crown. The implants dental costs you are required to pay cover three different components of hardware:

1. A small titanium screw or post, which replaces the missing tooth root.
2. An abutment or ‘collar,’ which is fastened to the titanium post and provides support for the replacement crown.
3. An artificial tooth crown fabricated from a durable ceramic material.

Once placed in the jaw, the surrounding bone integrates with the titanium screw of the dental implant, allowing it to become a permanent part of your body. It can then be used to provide strong support for the artificial dental crown that is carefully rendered to be virtually indistinguishable, in function, feel and appearance, from any natural tooth. The implants dental costs you pay cover all three of these pieces of hardware, which, together, comprise a long-lasting and comprehensive replacement solution for a missing tooth.

Implants Dental Costs: Services

The implants dental costs quoted to you also include your dentist’s time and expertise. Implant dentists require additional education and training in order to perform the surgery necessary to place dental implants. Implants dental cost quotations include all of the dentist’s services (excluding the initial consultation) required: from the extraction of any remaining tooth structure and X-ray imaging to the surgical placement of the implant and all follow-up appointments. Essentially, therefore, the only expense you have to cover outside the implants dental costs is your initial consultation with the dentist. After this appointment, and once the treatment plans have been drawn up, there typically aren’t any additional fees or hidden charges.

Implants Dental Costs: Your Financing Options

Dental implants are globally regarded to be the best and most sophisticated course of treatment for missing or irreparably damaged teeth. Unfortunately, in spite of this, medical aid and insurance companies still view dental implant surgery as an elective procedure. As a result, you’ll be hard pressed to find a company that will cover all of your implants dental costs. This attitude is widely understood by implant dentists who, as a result, offer their patients a suite of financing options that are tailored to help them cover their implants dental costs. These payment plans – which can be long-term one with interest or short term no-interest – enable patients to afford the treatment they need to get their smile confidence and bite functionality back without upsetting their budget.

Implants Dental Costs: A Final Note

Through the offering of flexible financing options, dentists around the United States are essentially providing Americans with an alternative, better solution to missing teeth than dentures. Implants dental costs should never represent an obstacle between you and your quality of life, so visit your dentist today to better understand your tooth replacement options.

Frequently Asked Questions About Tooth Implant Costs, PART 4

This four-part article series provides a comprehensive FAQ guide to the cost of dental implants and the surgical procedures required to place them.

Welcome to the final installment of this four-part article series on tooth implant costs. Tooth loss is, unfortunately, one of those things that happen to almost everyone at some stage during their life. When it does, regardless of the cause, the most important decision you make is whether or not you opt for the most sophisticated and advanced tooth replacement solution available. And this solution is afforded by tooth implant costs, which are functionally, aesthetically and - in comfort and feel - far superior to traditional technologies, such as bridges and removable dentures. With a lifespan of several decades, almost always without the need for any restoration, you’ll find that - contrary to their reputation - tooth implant costs do not lie on the high end of the spectrum. Rather, they are the most economical investment a patient can make in their quality of life and oral health.

In this article, the final installment of our four-part FAQ guide on tooth implant costs, we shall answer two final questions on dental financing and insurance…

Question: Will medical insurance cover my tooth implant costs?

Answer: Unfortunately, many medical and dental insurance providers don’t offer coverage for tooth implant costs. This is because dental implants are still considered an elective procedure, even if they are the most comprehensive and sophisticated solution available for the replacement of single and multiple missing teeth. They may cover certain portions of the procedure, such as the cost of anesthesia, tooth extractions, X-rays and crowns, but the majority of dental implant surgery will have to come out of your own pocket. Whatever you do, make sure you understand the terms of your coverage beforehand!

Question: Do implant dentists offer any financing for tooth implant costs?

Answer: Tooth implant costs are not inexpensive and as a result, most dental implant centers - especially the larger and more reputable ones - do offer patients a few financing options. Most of them accept major credit cards and/or have become affiliated with healthcare financing companies, for example, Compassionate Health Care Services, CareCredit, Chase Healthcare Financing or Springstone Patient Financing. Upon review of your case, these companies may decide to provide you with the financing you need to cover your tooth implant costs. Contact your dentist to find out what his/her financing options are. Once you have approval, you will sit down with one of their financing experts who will work out a payment plan that is tailor-made to fit your personal budget. Most patients opt for the short-term, no interest method of payment.

A Final Note on Tooth Implant Costs

We hope that we have managed to address all of your concerns regarding tooth implant costs in this four-part series. We have one final piece of advice we would like to leave you with:

You are saving yourself money in the long run by opting for the more sophisticated tooth replacement solution offered by tooth implant costs. So many patients make the mistake of choosing the cheaper and inferior dental technology to help them save money on tooth replacement. Ironically enough, it’s these patients who, in the long run, end up spending more money on adhesives, anesthetic gels, cleaning agents, denture refitting and ultimately, when their jaw bones have become so wasted away that they can’t support dentures anymore; bone grafting and dental implants!

Frequently Asked Questions About Tooth Implant Costs, PART 3

This four-part article series provides a comprehensive FAQ guide to the cost of dental implants and the surgical procedures required to place them.

Welcome back to our four-part article series on tooth implant costs. In our previous article post, the second installment of the series, we discussed why dental implants are worth the investment and which dental procedures are covered by the quote provided to you by your dentist. In this article, the third installment, we shall continue to address more of your FAQs, beginning with a look at the many benefits and advantages of this sophisticated and long-lasting technology.

Question: What are the key benefits offered by tooth implant costs?

Answer: Tooth implant costs may initially seem higher than most other tooth replacement technologies, but if you examine the benefits of these ingenious dental devices and take into account their much greater lifespan, it’s not hard to understand why! You wouldn’t expect to pay less for a brand new Ferrari than for an old and beat-up Mazda 323. You also wouldn’t expect the Ferrari to break down constantly and require attention from the mechanic! This is precisely the difference afforded by tooth implant costs. Dental implants are the high performance technology of the dental world. They last several decades and seldom require any restoration during that period. They are also functionally and aesthetically superior to traditional tooth replacement technologies, such as dental bridges and removable dentures.

But tooth implant costs are about so much more than simply getting the best, most comfortable and functionally and cosmetically superior solution to missing teeth. Tooth implant costs also afford patients a technology that plays an integral role in preserving the health of the underlying jaw bone. Dental implants are the only tooth replacement solution that replaces the root of the missing tooth as well as the crown. The titanium root of the implant transfers the forces associated with eating directly into this hard tissue, essentially keeping it exercised, stimulated and healthy. By preventing atrophy of the jaw bone, tooth implant costs help to preserve a patient’s youthful facial contours, while preventing the destabilization of the entire dental arch.

To summarize briefly, tooth implant costs provide patients with:

• A beautifully restored, natural-looking smile
• Ultimate confidence in the social and professional environment
• Fully-restored bite functionality and the ability to eat all the foods they love
• A new tooth that feels like a natural tooth and doesn’t cause any pain or discomfort
• Tooth implant costs promote proper articulation in speech
• Dental implants last 20, 30 years and even longer if cared for properly
• They promote the health of the underlying jaw bone
• Tooth implant costs provide patients with a solution that actually helps to guard against further issues of tooth loss.

Question: I’ve heard that there are newer, more modern dental implant procedures that have actually reduced tooth implant costs. Is this true?

Answer: More sophisticated dental implant procedures have indeed been developed, but they don’t reduce the individual tooth implant costs. Rather, they have markedly reduced the overall cost of oral rehabilitation! The All-on-4 is an advanced tooth replacement solution for patients that have lost most, if not all of their original adult teeth. It gives patients a fixed and non-removable set of teeth that are virtually indistinguishable - in function, fit, feel and appearance - from a natural set of teeth. Better yet, the cost savings patients are looking at making are:

• Average tooth implant costs savings of $25,000 for straight-forward cases,
• Average tooth implant costs savings of $45,000 for more complex cases.

Stay Tuned for More on Tooth Implant Costs

To read some final FAQs about tooth implant costs, stay tuned for the last installment of this four-part article series, courtesy of qualified and experienced implant dentists.