Costa Rica Dental Tourism – If you have missing teeth and decided to replace them with dental implants, you may find it frustrating and confusing trying to find out how much the procedure will cost you because if you search online or go to different clinics you will get varying figures. Now you may wonder why the price varies all the time.
Truth is, dentistry is a complex business and for better understanding you have to compare like with like. Let us discuss the leading factors that affect and determine the final cost of a dental implant.
Number of Teeth to be Replaced
The number of teeth that needs to be replaced is the most important factor in determining the final implant cost. If you just need one tooth replaced, the amount may run from $1250-$3000. The amount will increase if more teeth need to be replaced.
Type of Implant
You may choose from several types of dental implants made from different qualities of materials. Of course your choice if implant style and the quality of the material used for it will affect the cost. If you opt for normal titanium alloy that is usually used for dental implants the price will be higher as opposed to mini-implants. Take note though that those mini-implants are designed to anchor dentures in place and are just used for dental implants by dentists who want to lure in more patients.
Cap to be Used
Just like the implants, the Cap (dental device that sits atop the implant and acts as base of the crown) is made from different materials. It can be made from titanium or zirconium and the price difference is about 100 per cent. It is important that you find out if the price you are quoted includes the price of the Cap so you won’t be surprised when you get the final bill.
Temporary and Permanent Crown
Usually, implants are left in place for 3-4 months for the gums to heal and for the implant to attach properly to the jaw before a crown is placed on it. However, there are some dental facilities who offer a temporary crown that can be placed on the implant immediately so the patient won’t feel conscious smiling without teeth during the healing period. Once the implants are attached firmly and properly to the jaw, the permanent crowns are screwed or cemented to each of the crown. Again there are different materials used for crowns and their prices vary. So before diving in, make sure that the crowns to be used are included in the price you are quoted.
Condition of the Jaw Bone
Just like other dental procedures, dental implants require that patients have enough bones for the procedure to be successful. If it is determined that the patient’s jawbone is soft or narrow, he or she would first have to undergo bone grafting prior to having dental implants, which means another fee is to be added on the bill. Bone grafting is a process where a piece of bone is taken out from a different part of the body and grafted into the jaw.
Condition of Gums
Aside from having enough bones in the jaw to support the implant, it is also important that the patient have healthy gums. If the patient has gum disease, it needs to be addressed and treated prior to the implant procedure.
Dentist’s Fee
The dentist’s qualification, experience and geographical location can influence the cost of dental implant treatment.
The other factors that also determine the final price of a dental implant procedure are initial dental examination fee, price of dental anesthetics and dental x-ray fee.
If you feel that having dental implants are overly expensive, you may want to consider dental tourism and go to Costa Rica, Mexico or Panama where you can get quality dental care and treatment at a fraction of a cost compared to that in the US.
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