Dental implants are one of the more expensive solutions for dental reconstruction or tooth replacement. However, the cost is warranted, both because the procedure can be expensive and because the solution is one of the best out there.

The Cost that Goes Into Dental Implants

The materials themselves aren't the biggest cost with dental implants. Sure, the porcelain/resin tooth and the titanium post do cost some money.

But what you are mostly paying for is the years and years of school a dentist goes through to become a specialist. There is a high debt load for these professionals, as well as years lost to studying instead of working.

Add to that the fact that oral surgery for dental implants take around four visits to complete. You have the initial consultation, then you place the post, and then the crown goes on, and there is a follow up appointment. There may be even more visits than that if one of these steps goes wrong. Plus, the tooth is custom made so that it doesn't interfere at all with your natural teeth. That is a lot of hours going into the creation and installation of a single dental implant!

There's also research involved, and some of the cost goes towards continuing education. There is a lot of current development surrounding dental implant techniques, with a focus going towards durable implant methods that are less invasive and quicker. Your dentist probably participates in continuing education on a regular basis to deliver the best dental implants service possible.

Why Dental Implants Are a Great Value

That all explains the cost, but the other side of the question is: should you pay the price of an implant? The answer is generally yes. You get a lot more bang for your buck because dental implants have such a low failure rate. Although you may be worried about dental implants being a surgery, there is actually a pretty small recovery time for this oral surgery. And then benefit is that, once you have undergone the oral surgery, you are unlikely to ever have to deal with infections or problems with that tooth again.

Of course, if the cost of dental implants is going to be a significant, ongoing burden for you, then this may outweigh the benefits of implants. There is always the option of trying dental bridges or partial dentures, which are the less expensive alternatives.