Assessing the Value of Dental Implants

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assessing the value of dental implants

Someone seeking a solution for tooth loss has several options. Those options include a bridge, a fixed partial denture, removable partial or complete dentures, and dental implants. Each option has unique advantages and disadvantages that may mean one is more appropriate than another depending on your particular needs and circumstances.

One of the distinctions between the various options for solving tooth loss is their up-front cost. Generally speaking, obtaining dental implants in Okotoks will involve greater up-front costs than a bridge or denture. While the exact cost of any treatment plan is impossible to state precisely without a careful review of your dental condition and goals by a dentist near you, we understand that cost can be a factor in assessing your options. To help you assess your options from that perspective, you should have all the available information to determine the cost and value of dental implants from a dentist in Okotoks.

In the March-April 2013 edition of The International Journal of Oral & Maxillofacial Implants, researchers published an article entitled “Evaluating the health economic implications and cost-effectiveness of dental implants: a literature review.” The article described the results of a systematic review of all published literature regarding the up-front costs and cost-effectiveness of fixed partial dentures, removable partial or complete dentures, and dental implants. The authors of the study reviewed 14 studies in English published over a decade from 2000 to 2010.

Here are some of the highlights of the researchers’ conclusions:

  • When replacing a single missing tooth, a dental implant was less expensive or equally expensive compared to a fixed partial denture
  • Dental implants generally involve higher upfront costs compared to traditional removable dentures to replace multiple missing teeth
  • When replacing multiple teeth, implants produced better improvements in oral health-related quality of life than other options

If you’re considering getting dental implants near you, you should discuss all the options carefully with your dentist. While cost is an important factor, the long-term value or effectiveness of one option compared to another may shift the value assessment. When discussing the cost and value of dental implants with a dentist in Okotoks, here are other considerations to keep in mind. Certain medical conditions may disqualify you from undergoing implant treatment or require preliminary treatment to improve your readiness for treatment.

  • Is your mouth healthy enough to undergo implant surgery?
  • Do you suffer from uncontrolled diabetes or gum disease?
  • Are you undergoing radiation treatment for cancer?
  • Are you a heavy consumer of cigarettes and/or alcohol?
  • Do you require any preliminary procedures to alter the shape or improve the density of your jaw bone tissue?

Your dentist will query all of those issues during an initial assessment of your health, teeth, and jaw to determine your suitability for dental implants. That assessment will include taking and reviewing your dental and medical history, any prescriptions and drugs you take, the health of your gums and mouth, the shape and density of your jaw bone, and your goals. With all of that information in hand, your dentist in Okotoks will be able to advise you whether dental implants — and particularly what type of implants — are an appropriate solution for your missing teeth. In the alternative that implants are not appropriate, your dentist will offer alternatives to achieve your goals.

This careful review and assessment process performed by the most conscientious and diligent dentists in Okotoks has contributed to the enviable success rate associated with dental implants — well over 90%. To arrange an opportunity for you to discuss all of these factors with a dentist near you, contact a dentist in Okotoks and ask to schedule a consultation.