Dental Implants?

[Pete]

Any good or bad experiences with dental implants?

 

[Westernskies]

DW just had two done. Very expensive, but worth every penny, in her opinion. She is having a third one done this fall to replace an old bridge, after her dental insurance anniversary (it over-maxes our $2K/person annual plan limit pretty quickly...)

So far, I haven't needed any extensive dental work. despite all the Dr. Pepper, Moon Pies and Crystal Meth...

 

[ziggy29]

Any good or bad experiences with dental implants?

My wife had an implant finished this January, and so far so good.

Here's another thread discussing it:

http://www.early-retirement.org/forums/f38/good-old-removable-dentures-or-implants-46472.html

 

[Trek]

I have 2 implants holding a 4 tooth bridge installed 19 years ago and I've had no problems at all. Best thing since real teeth, maybe better.

 

[Texas Proud]

BIL had extensive work done... I think he liked them much better than the bridges he had..

The problem was the first guy who installed his 'posts' or whatever they are called screwed up... so he had to go to another dentist and have them removed... wait many months to heal.. and have new ones installed.. sooo, results good, implementation bad...

My mom has one tooth with an implant... not problems (she went to the second guy my BIL had)... loves it...

 

[Purron]

My 80 year old mother has 3 of them. All the rest of her teeth are natural. Implants are time and $ intensive, but well worth it in her opinion. She has a beautiful smile

 

[Bimmerbill]

My first implant got infected and I had to have it removed, hole packed with bone graft and let it heal for 6 months. Second one is much better.

Not too much pain, mine is in the front, bottom jaw. Most of the discomfort was from my gums. Dentist wanted to do a really good job the second time and peeled more of them back.

 

[WhoDaresWins]

A few years ago, I cracked a molar in my mandible(lower jaw). I was faced with the choice of a gaping hole, a 3-unit bridge, or an implant. I went with the latter. I love it...can't tell it from any other tooth in my mouth.

 

[megacorp-firee]

How much is a lot of money? 1k, 10k, 30k per implant?
Thanks

 

[Pete]

How much is a lot of money? 1k, 10k, 30k per implant?
Thanks

Mine is gonna be 2K for the implant and another 1K or so for the tooth to cover it. My dental insurance has a yearly maximum of 1500 dollars. I get the implant in one calendar year and the tooth in January of the next to get maximum insurance benefits.

 

[Westernskies]

How much is a lot of money? 1k, 10k, 30k per implant?
Thanks

3-4K per, IIRC. YMMV

 

[Purron]

Same here. My mom paid about $3K per.

 

[vicente solano]

Same here. My mom paid about $3K per.

Don´t tell me that by 3K you mean 3000 dollars?

 

[braumeister]

My better half had one put in last year. She has pretty good dental coverage from work, and it still cost about $2,800 beyond what insurance paid.

Worth it? She says "You bet!"

 

[tryan]

An implant for 3k?? The bone graft after the extraction was $1500; now I am looking at another $4500 for the cat scan, post, tooth ..... 6k by the time I am done.

Did I mention the root canal ($1200) and bridge work ($1600) which failed after a year (root split). I am looking at a 10k tooth!!

 

[Bimmerbill]

I think mine was 5 or 6K. $3K for the implant surgery and another $3K for the crown/tooth.

I think its worth it since a bridge would have drilled into the two surrounding teeth.

 

[ziggy29]

I looked back at our records on my wife's procedure and the total cost was about $3500. It was about $1500 for the extraction and placement of the implant itself plus about $500 for the retainer-like temporary "tooth" that hid the hole (it was a front tooth on the top). That was $2000 or so, paid in July 2009.

Six months later, the implant had successfully fused with the bone and the crown was put on over the implant which was about another $1500. This was in January 2010.

So the total was around $3,500 and we were lucky that there were no setbacks or unforeseen complications -- it all went very smoothly. And insurance paid nearly half of both procedures (actually 50% of what they considered U&C), which was a perk to having the work spread out over two different insurance years since it would have exceeded the maximum annual benefit if done in the same year. We wound up paying close to $1,900 out of pocket.

 

[clifp]

I am the process of getting an implant total bill will be between 6-7K. The thing that has surprised me is how long it has taken. I started the process back in Dec. The bone around the tooth has been slow to grow back. So I probably won't get the actually implant completely finished until Aug.

 

[Pete]

I must say I'm surprised at the high costs I'm hearing. I thought I was getting taken by a high priced Orange County Calif. dentist. I go to him because he is incredibly good. I've already had two done with no problems, no pain, no nothing. 3200 is all of a sudden sounding pretty good. I wonder why the huge difference in prices?

I did have one relative that had some nerve damage during the implant procedure. Good x rays and measurments are a must. My dentist uses computer imaging and my x rays to show me exactly what will be done, and how much room there is.

The procedure is much easier than root canals but it's probably best to side with saving the tooth.

 

[Pete]

If price is a concern, my buddy had a bunch of implants done at a local dental school with great results and low costs.

 

[Orchidflower]

I need to replace a 4 tooth bridge at some point, and have been considering going to Costa Rica or Mexico. Anyone here have any experience doing that?