What is a Dental Implant?
It’s basically a titanium screw, with a porcelain tooth attached to it. So if you are missing one or more teeth, this is the best option to replace natural teeth.
What does the procedure entail?
First, you need a dental exam, to determine if you are an implant candidate. If you are, the next step is to place the implant into your jawbone. This is a fairly painless 1 – 2 hour process, done with a local anesthetic, similar to a filling. It takes 3 – 4 months for the titanium screw to integrate into your bone. Once it is determined to be stable, another part called the abutment is screwed onto the implant, and an impression is taken, for the fabrication of your life-like porcelain crown. The last step is to attach the crown to the abutment/implant complex.
There are two ways to place Dental Implants
The “free-hand/2D” method, and the “Computer-guided/3D” method. About 95% of all implants being placed via the “free-hand/2D” method. This involves a 2D x-ray image, and the surgeon’s capability to “eyeball” or guestimate the other dimension for implant selection and placement.
How common are 3D Dental Implants?
Currently only 5% of implant placing dentists have 3D technology.
How are 3D Dental Implants different?
It involves 3 steps that the freehand/2D system doesn’t offer.
- First, a Cone Beam Cat Scan (CBCT) imager takes a 3D picture of your jaw.
- Second, this image is uploaded into a 3D planning software tool, where the exact implant type and its location are all identified based on 3D information.
- Third, a surgical guide stent is fabricated using a 3D printer. The stent is used to guide the surgeon’s instruments to the exact location of where the implant will be placed.
- I go one step further, and use a 3D scanner to take a digital impression of your implant, email it to the lab, for the most accurate fabrication of the final porcelain crown. Most dentists use goopy impression material, then regular “snail” mail it. Which decreases the accuracy of the crown, and slows down the time for the crown to be made and delivered.
Why choose 3D Dental Implants?
Advantages of the 3D implant system include:
- A higher degree of accuracy for both implant and crown,
- Less surgical time (usually less than 1 hour)
- Fewer to no nerve/bone complications
- Most importantly, decreased surgical healing pain because gum tissue is preserved.
How much does a 3D Dental Implant cost?
Because of these great advantages, the cost for 3D in other practices is usually significantly higher, however I don’t think it should be. I’ve priced the entire procedure, implant + custom abutment + porcelain crown at.
I completely empathize that is a big investment, but your other options are a fixed bridge, a removable partial tooth, or if the tooth is salvageable then a root canal/crown.
- The bridge ($3000) involves making crowns on two teeth adjacent to the missing tooth, and has a failure rate of 50% after 8 years, not to mention bone loss under the false tooth.
- The partial ($1400) is only aesthetic, you can’t really eat on that tooth, and it will come loose after 3 -4 years, and again, bone loss under the false tooth.
- Root canals ($2400) have a failure rate of 30% after 6 years.
A 3D Dental Implant will be in your mouth FOREVER, with no bone loss, and a failure rate of less than 1% after 30 years! Foods/beverages are not able to cause cavities in dental implants. They are virtually indestructible.
You may find slightly lower prices, although the only way to achieve this is by sacrificing quality. The current US average price for 2D implants is $3600, and for 3D $4200. When it comes to your health, quality if paramount, as the implant will be in your body forever.
Multi-Teeth Discounts
If you are going to need multiple implants at the same time, we are happy to offer the following discounts:
- First tooth: $3600
- Second tooth: $3000
- Third (or more) tooth: $2800
Call us today!
If you have questions about 3D Dental Implants, please call our office today or click here to schedule an appointment!