How Much Does a Dental Implant Cost?

You lost a tooth. You want to replace the tooth. Now you have one big question…

… How much does a dental implant cost?

Dental implants are a great option if you’ve lost a tooth due to age, poor oral hygiene or taking a puck in the mouth during a hockey game (hey, that’s what the face guards are for!).

Dental implants provide a (usually) permanent, authentic looking replacement and are a popular option for those looking to replace a lost tooth.

If there is a major knock against dental implants, it is their cost. In this article, we’ll answer the question “how much does a dental implant cost?”, why much of the quotes you’ll see online don’t tell the full story, and provide some suggestions on ways you can save on implants.

How Much Does a Dental Implant Cost

The average cost for a single dental implant these days is around $2,000. Generally they will be about $1,000 on the low end to $3,000 on the high end.

Now, as we just mentioned, many of the cost estimates for implants you see online, don’t tell the full story. And that is the case for the $2,000 cost estimate here as well.

Why? Well, that cost is for the dental implant itself. What’s missing a lot of the time are the additional costs associated with getting a dental implant.

If you factor in the dental implant procedure (x-rays, the surgery, etc.), the cost of the restoration/crown that will be attached to the implant, the abutment, etc., that will about double the cost per implant.

So now you’re looking at an average cost of a single dental implant of around $4,000. Figure around $1,500 on the low end and $6,000 on the high end.

Why so high?

Well, keep in mind this is a surgery. So you’ll have a surgeon involved, anesthesia, etc.

And the process takes multiple visits, you’ll likely need an X-ray or CT scan and perhaps a bone graft or tooth extraction which could drive the cost even higher.

Also, implants and the associated crowns are a permanent solution and should be made out of quality materials that will last a very long time.

Besides the above factors, where you live and the implant surgeon’s level of experience will factor into how much the implants will end up costing you.

Payment Options for Dental Implants

Because dental implants are so pricey, many patients who need them will require help covering the costs. And, unfortunately, many insurance plans don’t cover the costs (although more and more are starting too as they realize the long term cost benefits of them).

To help patients out, many dentists will offer payment plans and/or financing options that will help make the cost of implants easier to swallow (no pun intended!).

Affordable Dental Implant Options

If you’re looking for some ways to save on implants, we have 5 options for you…

1. Dental Discount Plans – these can save you around 20% or so.
2. Look into alternate options like dentures or bridges.
3. Check out your local dental school – they may offer discounted procedures as a way to get their students real-world experience performing these procedures (under the watchful eye of their faculty of course!).
4. Dental Tourism – implants are often much cheaper overseas, even when taking travel costs into account. However, there are some real horror stories from folks who have tried this so be really careful with this option.
5. Shop Around – get quotes from multiple dentists and even look at dentists in more rural areas who might charge much less than those in the bigger cities.

Read more articles about Dental Implant Cost Info here.