About Treatment with Tooth Implants and their Costs

Certainly, costs will come to mind when you consider dental treatment with implants. On these pages you will learn how never to pay too much and what you must pay close attention to...

1. What is covered by social medicine?
2. What is covered by my private supplemental insurance, if any?
3. How do you explain those significant price differences?
4. Are there quality differences I must pay attention to?
5. Why is all of this so darn expensive?

The material costs of a tooth implant are just a few Euros. After all, we are talking about a titanium stem with a screw thread and accessories for making an impression.

Nevertheless, you are being asked to pay in the four figures for a tooth implant. How is that possible?

The Tab is Paid by the Patient

First of all, there is the maker of the tooth implants. There are huge public companies whose main responsibility is to their shareholders. The profit margins of these companies are unbelievable. To top it off, these companies have gigantic marketing budgets. Implant specialists worldwide are invited to conferences that are held at spectacular locations. It's not unusual to have a Joe Cocker provide the entertainment. All that costs a ton of money which is paid by? You guessed it. You, the patient.

A tooth implant using such a company's materials (the guilty shall remain anonymous) costs between 1,500 and 3,000 Euros, and that's without the crown or rebuilding of jaw bone. That's way too much. But there are alternatives:

Similar to prescription drugs, there are generic products available for tooth implants. They don't sport a fancy brand name, but are otherwise identical. After all, we are talking about a titanium stem with a rough surface with which bone cells can knit.

German companies with a long-standing track record make such tooth implants of the highest quality. At much lower prices. At the Dentaprime Dental Clinic we work with those products, made in Germany, and can claim an outstanding success rate of 97% when it comes to proper healing.

Royal Remuneration or Fair Compensation?

Of course, the costs of tooth implants are not just determined by the materials used. Added is the fee of the implant specialist, dental surgeon or dentist with an implant practice. We certainly don't want to quibble about those fees. Whoever has studied for many years, has years of practical experience, and provides a surgical dental procedure carefully and competently, has a right to excellent compensation.

In addition, an implant specialist incurs costs for assistants, rent, equipment write-offs, etc. Nevertheless, all that does not help you, the patient, if you simply can't afford the treatment. As much as the implant specialist deserves his/her fee, it might just bust your budget.

In that case, treatment at an overseas location can be a viable alternative for you, the patient. At the Dentaprime Dental Clinic, for instance, you are treated by a team of experienced and highly competent implant specialists at remarkably lower prices. Simply stated, this is due to the much lower cost of living in Varna, as compared to the U.K. and Ireland. Costs here are roughly half. And a tooth clinic in Varna can also be run at roughly half the cost. All without you, the patient, having to compromise on treatment safety. A tooth implant provided at the Dentaprime Dental Clinic will run you only 600 Euros.

However, in addition to the cost for the implant there are costs for replacement of the tooth itself. The implant is just an artificial root which carries the tooth. Also, rebuilding of jaw bone is necessary in 80% of all cases. What about that?

Cost Trap: Rebuilding Jaw Bone

Tooth implants are inserted into the jaw bone as an artificial root. With advancing age and in cases of periodontitis or toothlessness, jaw bone densitiy is diminished, sometimes to the point where there is not enough bone left for an implant. In those cases, jaw bone rebuilding is performed. It involves building bone volume through one's own bone tissue plus bone replacement material. In the upper jaw this is called a sinus lift. The following video demonstrates the procedure.

The costs for rebuilding bone in half a jaw run between 600 and 1,200 Euros. In cases of a toothless upper and lower jaw, the costs can rise to almost 5,000 Euros, just for rebuilding bone. Much depends on the extent of the bone loss. If it is extensive, the dental surgeon needs more bone replacement material and membranes. These materials are very expensive to purchase. That also goes for treatment overseas, as long as the materials used come from quality makers, (such as BioOSS), and that certainly goes for the Dentaprime Dental Clinic.

In spite of the high material costs you can count on saving between 30-40% on bone rebuilding if done at the Dentaprime Dental Clinic. For after-treatment care Dentaprime Dental Clinic works with dentists in almost all parts of the U.K. and Ireland.

Saving on Tooth Replacement

Your dentist will affix the final tooth replacements to the implants, either right after implant treatment or at the end of the healing process (during the healing phase you will wear temporary tooth replacements). An implant can carry a crown, a bridge or an entire prosthesis.

 

Three teeth and their roots are missing.
A bridge anchored to two implants ensures optimal stability.
Through the implants an incomparable stability is guaranteed.
Example of using implants in a toothless jawbone.
The implants create maximal stability for an entire bridge.
A firmly anchored, stable treatment that lasts for the rest of your life.

The costs of the tooth replacements can vary significantly. They consist of fees to the dental laboratory and the fees for your dentist plus materials. A crown or a partial bridge can run between 400 and 800 Euros. The material used makes a difference. Plain metal is the least expensive. It has a metallic sheen and is used only for the sides where the replacements are not visible. In the visible areas the crown is covered with a tooth-colored ceramic, at least in the front.

A more valuable and more expensive crown is covered on all sides by tooth-colored ceramic.

A totally metal-free full ceramic crown is the most expensive alternative. This material is 100% bio-compatible and most resembles a natural tooth. However, it comes at the highest cost.

Costs can be saved if your dentist uses an overseas laboratory, such as China. The disadvantage is that the laboratory technician knows you only from your impression and has never seen you live. Better results are achieved if the technician has seen you personally and works hand-in-hand with your dentist - close by.

Dental clinics and some dentist practices have their own dental laboratory. That's the optimal situation for you, the patient. You can count on best possible results.

Of course, the Dentaprime Dental Clinic has its own dental laboratory, run by dental technician Peter Meier. He will make you a crown or partial bridge for just 200 Euros - and that includes the dentist's fees.

How much does your insurance pay?

There can be significant differences, depending on the country where you live. Therefore, it is important that you inquire with your social insurance and any private supplemental insurance you may carry. Some may pay for rebuilding bone and treating with implants, some may not. Some may deny payments for implants but will cover tooth replacement that are placed on implants. After reading so far, you will know all the right questions to ask.

If you are considering the purchase of supplemental dental insurance coverage, make sure that you read all the terms and conditions of the contract before you commit. Premiums may seem low, but the devil is always in the details.

We can tell you that we have many conversations with disappointed patients who find that, after filing a treatment plan, coverage is denied. Nevertheless, many find that they can still get the treatment they desire, even without payments from supplemental insurance.

If you are interested in top-quality implant treatment at affordable prices, we invite you to contact the Dentaprime Dental Clinic at no cost or obligation. You'll be able to drastically lower your implant costs and enjoy the same privileges as a private patient. Take advantage of this opportunity for first-class treatment at a budget price and contact us today!