If you’re missing only one tooth, a single tooth implant and a crown is most likely your best option to replace it. This means that a single implant will restore both the root and the missing tooth.
The average all-inclusive single dental implant costs $3,000 to $4,500. This price includes the procedure for surgical placement, all the required components, and the crown. Dental insurance usually will not pay for dental implant placement.
A dental implant offers numerous advantages over other tooth replacement options. In addition to looking and functioning like a real tooth, a dental implant offers single tooth replacement without sacrificing the well-being of adjacent teeth. On the other hand, the other conventional treatment, a tooth-supported fixed bridge, requires neighboring teeth to be ground down to support the cemented bridge.
Because a dental implant will replace your tooth root, it preserves the jaw bone better. With a bridge, some of the bone that previously encompassed the tooth begins to deteriorate. Dental implants become one with your jawbone, helping the bone to stay healthy and intact.
A single implant can be more aesthetic and easier to keep clean than a bridge in the long term. Gums tend to recede around a dental bridge, creating a visible defect when the metal base of the bridge becomes exposed. The resorbed bone under the bridge often leads to a diminished smile. Furthermore, the cement securing the bridge in place can wear out, enabling bacteria to decay the teeth that anchor the bridge.
First, the implant, which resembles a screw or cylinder, is surgically planted into your jaw. Over the next several months, the implant and jawbone will bond together to form an anchor for your artificial tooth, also known as the crown. In the meantime, a temporary tooth replacement can be installed over the implant site.
An additional step of the procedure is often required to reveal the implant and attach an extension. This temporary healing cap finishes the foundation on which your new tooth replacement will be set. Your gums will heal for a few weeks after this procedure.
There are single-stage implant systems that do not require this second step. These components use an implant that already has the extension piece attached. Your periodontist will advise the best method for you.
Lastly, a tooth replacement option called a crown will be produced specially for your mouth by your dentist and mounted on a tiny metal post named an abutment. Soon after that, you will feel restored confidence in your smile and your capability to eat and speak. Dental implants appear and feel so natural that you will surely forget you had a missing tooth. Each tooth-loss case is different, and many of the steps mentioned above can be combined if the circumstances permit.
Whenever a patient reaches us, the cheapest options we offer for a missing tooth are removable dentures, a bridge, or a dental implant.
The single dental implant procedure itself does not involve any pain since the mouth stays numb during the process. But when the numbness wears off, the patient may feel some level of pain.
Depending on the prevailing market rate, a single dental implant cost may vary from $3,000 to $4,500 or more. The final cost will include surgery expenses, all the components, and the implant crown.
According to statistics, full dentures last between 5 to 10 years, while partials or a single denture can last up to 15 years. This is due to the fact that during this time frame your mouth and dentures experience major changes, resulting in an improper fit and unappealing appearance.
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