Author Topic: Dental implant  (Read 4082 times)

freeat57

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Dental implant
« on: July 07, 2018, 07:10:42 AM »
I've been advised to replace a molar with a crown on it with an implant.  If you have an implant,

1) Are you happy with it?

2) Did you have the implant post installed immediately or have to wait for some weeks after the extraction?

3) For those in the USA, what was the total cost?

Thanks!!

FIPurpose

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Re: Dental implant
« Reply #1 on: July 07, 2018, 07:24:56 AM »
Posting to follow. Similar situation.

LeRainDrop

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Re: Dental implant
« Reply #2 on: July 07, 2018, 08:44:57 AM »
Not molar, but a canine tooth:

(1)  Yes, very happy with it.  I've had it around 15 years now.

(2)  Had to wait some time after the extraction because they had to put in some bovine bone to fill in the space (it had been an impacted tooth that was still inside my gums) and let that heal up with the surrounding tissue.  I can't remember how long I waited.  Maybe 6 months?

(3)  No idea, but I'm sure expensive.  I was like 19 or 20 years old and still covered by whatever insurance my parents had.  If there was no coverage or if less than full coverage, my parents kindly picked up the whole bill for me.

TeresaB

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Re: Dental implant
« Reply #3 on: July 07, 2018, 08:49:47 AM »
I have not done this yet, but have been advised to. The dentist told me it would be $1500-2000. I'm not going to have it done with her, though. I'm going to get a consult with an oral surgeon at a hospital and I'll let you know how much they quote me.

raven2963

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Re: Dental implant
« Reply #4 on: July 07, 2018, 09:15:17 AM »
I had a molar done last year.  I had to wait appx 6 weeks for the implant, another 6 weeks after that for the crown.  Total cost was about 5k.  3k ish for implant and 2k ish for crown.  It's loose now, so not exactly happy with it.  The crown is loose not the implant.  The dentist I chose for the crown is not the best (I've had other issues with his work) so I blame that on him.  Just need to go back and have it reseated or whatever they do.

TempusFugit

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Re: Dental implant
« Reply #5 on: July 07, 2018, 09:16:05 AM »
Got one about 15 years ago.  No issues since.   Was a hassle to have done due to the need to wait for the bone to graft to the implant before they put the crown on.  That was maybe a month.  But it wasnt really painful or anything.  I dont think i took anything but a tylenol that first night.  No big deal.

Also a hassle to pay for it because most insurance wont cover the implant itself, only the crown on top. I have 2, so i think it cost me something like 5k out of pocket.  That was 15 years ago, so no idea what the cost is today.

I used an endodontist, not my regular dentist.

Dave1442397

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Re: Dental implant
« Reply #6 on: July 07, 2018, 11:08:01 AM »
I had a front tooth (crown) replaced with an implant back in 2000. I had it done by one of the highest-rated oral surgeons in the country, and I've never had an issue with it. If I remember correctly, they took what was left of the old tooth out, then I wore a wire retainer with a fake front tooth while it healed up.

The second stage was where they went in and did whatever they do to add the material that the implant will attach to. That part was done under full anesthesia. I had to wait for that to heal (I think around six weeks) and then they put the actual implant in.

I forget the total cost, but I remember handing the oral surgeon's office a check for $2200, which was the majority of it. Probably around $3000 in total.

kenner

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Re: Dental implant
« Reply #7 on: July 07, 2018, 08:09:11 PM »
Have one on a bicuspid.  It's only about a year and a half old, but so far it's working out fine.  Getting it done was pretty easy, one appointment to remove the remains of the smashed tooth and put in the new material, another three months later to drill and place the post (the surgeon did say she could do this at the same time she put in the new bone material if I really wanted it done faster, but she strongly recommended against it), and then the final appointment was with my regular dentist about three months after that to place the crown.  For the tooth removal I was under full anesthesia, for placing the post I was not, and if I was doing it again I probably wouldn't have bothered with anesthesia for the removal either given the amount of local my surgeon used.  I think the total cost was ~$4000 (the surgeon and my dentist both submitted directly to my insurance so I don't have the exact number, but I paid about half that out of pocket which lines up with the rest of my dental coverage).  These days about the only time I notice it is when I'm flossing...it's a little weird how far up the floss slides since gums don't grow to implants the way they do to real teeth.

One thing you might want to check--while this was going on my dentist recommended wearing a fake tooth most of the time so the other teeth didn't start moving on me, but since the one being replaced wasn't one of the four central incisors insurance wouldn't cover anything.  It sounds like my surgeon recommended a longer recovery time than most others on this thread so it may not be an issue for you, but if you do plan to use a fake tooth it might be worth checking  (and in the end my dentist gave me the half-price cash rate anyway so it worked out about the same).

nnls

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Re: Dental implant
« Reply #8 on: July 07, 2018, 09:53:17 PM »
I have a front tooth implant, I knocked my front teeth out when I was 16 and had to wait until my jaw stopped growing in my 20s before I could get the implant. Ive had it for about 7 years and its working out great at the moment.

When I got the implant, they put the initial part in and I had to wait for it to set before i could get the actual implant in, I think it was about 4 weeks in between, and I just wore a denture in between (which I had been wearing for the 5 years or so anyway)

freeat57

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Re: Dental implant
« Reply #9 on: July 08, 2018, 06:37:26 AM »
Thanks to everyone for the replies!  It sounds as though this is a long process, but with a high probability of a satisfying outcome.  Since I am FIRE without dental insurance, I'll be paying the full bill myself.  It is really frustrating that pricing on medical care is so opaque to the public. 

One of the issues for my case is that I am new to this dentist and not sure how much I trust the practice.  Some of the recommendations I got from them were rather different from my former dentist, whom I trusted completely!  Unfortunately, that dentist is 800 miles away now.  This new dentist doesn't take the time to explain things and seems to have the attitude of "Just do what I say, you wouldn't understand anyway."!  I may seek out a different dentist to do this.

Tick-Tock

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Re: Dental implant
« Reply #10 on: July 08, 2018, 08:08:17 AM »
Tooth out in February (massive infection)
Implant in June
Uncovered implant and placed post to support crown in September
Crown in November

No one adequately explained step 3 to me (I thought it was three steps).

I have not been happy with the crown itself (nothing to do with the implant).  But I have another crown that I got 30 years ago that I have been very happy with, so I think it may just be the work in this case.

Total cost was in the range of $5,000.  The nice thing about the extended process was that each step was billed at the time it was done, so it spread the cost out a bit.

If you aren't entirely happy with your dentist, absolutely find another one.  I had been going to the same practice for many years.  But my unhappiness with my new crown was the impetus I needed to go to a different office -- and as it turns out, I probably should have switched much earlier.

LeRainDrop

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Re: Dental implant
« Reply #11 on: July 08, 2018, 08:14:53 PM »
One of the issues for my case is that I am new to this dentist and not sure how much I trust the practice.  Some of the recommendations I got from them were rather different from my former dentist, whom I trusted completely!  Unfortunately, that dentist is 800 miles away now.  This new dentist doesn't take the time to explain things and seems to have the attitude of "Just do what I say, you wouldn't understand anyway."!  I may seek out a different dentist to do this.

Hmmm, I'm not so sure I like how your dentist is treating you.  I would want to feel heard, understood, and appreciated before trusting their surgery and spending that type of cash with them.

I didn't note in my original post above, but both my extraction (entirely inside the gum) and my implant were done by an oral surgeon under full anesthesia.  I did not go to my regular dentist for the crown, but rather a dentist that the surgeon often works with because he actually specializes in crowns and implants and has an excellent reputation for matching the crown color to the natural tooth color, which was important in my case because it was a tooth that's visible up front when I talk or smile.  Like Tick-Tock mentioned, the process was spaced out enough that it made it easier for payments to be spaced out, too.
« Last Edit: July 09, 2018, 12:18:43 AM by LeRainDrop »

Padonak

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Re: Dental implant
« Reply #12 on: July 08, 2018, 08:53:54 PM »
Got an implant for a molar tooth a couple of years ago, will get another one later this year for another molar.

1) Are you happy with it?

So far I'm pretty happy as in it looks good and doesn't cause any big problens. Two small issues: there is a little gap in the gum tissue (i think the medical term is "cleft") behind the implanted tooth because the implant is smaller in diameter than the original tooth root was so the gum didnt fully grow back to its original shape. Sometimes small pieces of food get stuck in this gap, but they're pretty easy to remove with my tongue or rinse off. The gum tissue grew over time, so the gap is now smaller than it was originally: probably about 2mm deep, behind the tooth. The front side of implanted tooth looks pretty much the same as a normal tooth. The second issue is when I chew on something pretty hard it feels a little painful. The dentist warned me that i shouldn't chew on anything too hard anyway, so that's completely my fault and I should watch for it.

2) Did you have the implant post installed immediately or have to wait for some weeks after the extraction?

I had to get a bone graft for a lower side molar. Also, the original tooth was pretty difficult to extract. My dentist couldn't remove all the roots the first time, so the implant specialist had to clean up the root area before doing the bone grafting. I lot of pain and discomfort while recovering twice instead of just one time. After bone grafting, waited a few months, had an implant placed, waited a few more months and then got a crown. After that there was another small issue which the implant specialist easily fixed.

3) For those in the USA, what was the total cost?

I honestly don't remember the total out of pocket cost because I had to pay for each procedure, then dental insurance covered some of it. I also used HSA to pay for it so the money was spent before tax. i'm guessing the total out of pocket cost was between 2.5 and 3.5K. I'm tracking my spend on the second implant I'm getting. My estimate is pretty similar, around 3K out of pocket in total.
« Last Edit: July 08, 2018, 09:21:48 PM by Padonak »

frugaliknowit

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Re: Dental implant
« Reply #13 on: July 09, 2018, 09:18:14 AM »
I have a total of 3 implants:

The first two were to replace a "5 point bridge" caused by trauma when I was a young kid (long story:  one tooth went bad, installed a 3 point bridge around it...over time teeth were damaged under bridges...the implants were to stop the damage...).

The most recent was a cracked rear/lower tooth that was damaged, root canaled/capped, then the root canal failed and had to extract it (could have probably left it empty).

The most recent one was about $4200 altogether, done by a top surgeon who I totally trust.  Each case was different, but with all 3 implants I had to wait 2 to 3 months to crown them.  I am happy with all of them.  They are stronger than the original tooth root.  Titanium and the fusion that occurs is amazing.

You NEED to be comfortable with your implant dentist.  If you are not, ask around for a referral.  I would NOT just go by price.  You do NOT want to be some dentist's training aid.
« Last Edit: July 09, 2018, 09:20:25 AM by frugaliknowit »

jlcnuke

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Re: Dental implant
« Reply #14 on: July 09, 2018, 10:13:09 AM »
Thanks to everyone for the replies!  It sounds as though this is a long process, but with a high probability of a satisfying outcome.  Since I am FIRE without dental insurance, I'll be paying the full bill myself.  It is really frustrating that pricing on medical care is so opaque to the public. 

One of the issues for my case is that I am new to this dentist and not sure how much I trust the practice.  Some of the recommendations I got from them were rather different from my former dentist, whom I trusted completely!  Unfortunately, that dentist is 800 miles away now.  This new dentist doesn't take the time to explain things and seems to have the attitude of "Just do what I say, you wouldn't understand anyway."!  I may seek out a different dentist to do this.

You may want to strongly consider dental tourism. The US costs are MUCH higher than abroad and, in many places, it's for the same level of care.

I have two implants, happy with both so far (~4 years iirc). The initial post was immediately put in but the permanent crown was weeks later. Total cost was over $9k for the two extractions and implants, including temp crowns.
« Last Edit: July 09, 2018, 10:15:25 AM by jlcnuke »

freeat57

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Re: Dental implant - update and caution
« Reply #15 on: July 17, 2018, 11:42:52 AM »
I went for a second opinion on my tooth.  This time I took pains to find a highly recommended dentist who specializes in restorative dentistry.  After examining me, he said that he believes there is a very good chance to save the tooth with a root canal and new crown.  His assessment is exactly what my wonderful dentist in my former home town said would be the likely next step for this tooth if anything went wrong.   

Now the caution: The dentist who automatically recommended the extraction/implant, it turns out is part of a chain which may be interested more in the patient's bank account than in his or her teeth.  I was concerned about some of the practices at this office during my visit.  Then the thing that really raised a red flag was that the dentist immediately recommended this rather drastic treatment and then sent an office worker in with a cost estimate for the work.  There were two columns on the sheet.  The first column had heart-stopping large numbers!  However, if I would pay an annual fee to join their "Discount Plan", the prices magically dropped by about 45%, no waiting period or caps like insurance!!

When I googled about implants, I saw that the "discounted" price was actually toward the higher end of the normal range of prices for this procedure in my area.  A bit more searching about this "Discount Plan" led me to some postings that laid out scenarios very similar to my story.  I had no idea there were questionable practices like this going on in dentistry. 

I told this story to the recommended dentist I saw.  I said that I knew that professional courtesy would prevent him from bad mouthing (ha ha) the other dentist.  However, the look on his face said it all and he immediately knew which practice I was talking about without me mentioning the name.

ebella

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Re: Dental implant
« Reply #16 on: July 17, 2018, 12:45:23 PM »
My partner is in a somewhat similar boat and he's considering just not replacing it at all.  It's a back molar (very last one) that started crumbling this year because his wisdom teeth are coming in and pushing it.  Apparently, the wisdom teeth needed to come out when he was 18 and his mother didn't schedule it when he was still on their insurance and now he's 36 and hasn't been to a dentist since.  So he's going to just get it, along with all wisdom teeth taken out.  It's cheaper not to replace it and he worries a root canal and implant would just cost alot and need fixing again down the line.  This is what happens when you grow up in Tennessee and don't go to the dentist regularly, folks!  The oral surgeon said it was fine to do that. 

tralfamadorian

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Re: Dental implant - update and caution
« Reply #17 on: July 17, 2018, 03:29:05 PM »
...then sent an office worker in with a cost estimate for the work.  There were two columns on the sheet.  The first column had heart-stopping large numbers! 

Sounds like a variation on the car sales four square.

Asteinfort

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Re: Dental implant
« Reply #18 on: July 18, 2018, 06:11:02 PM »
Tooth number 7
Used a very experienced prosthodontist
Titanium implant, porcelain crown with in house ceramist
Extraction to crown cost about $4500?

Had it been a molar I would have done a bridge. Much cheaper. Is there a reason why the dentist doesn't recommend a bridge?

Personally I would NOT have a general dentist do implants or orthodontic. This is where the money spent on a prosthodontist makes a difference.
« Last Edit: July 18, 2018, 07:38:45 PM by Asteinfort »