Wellness

[Another new name Sue]

A co-pay of $1400 isn't too much considering that implants can run $5000 or more.  I don't know what would be done if you want to skip the implant.  A bridge or removable denture device?  Yes, the neighboring teeth will be affected if you don't do something. Get the implant, and don't look for a bargain.  Go with a specialist, not your regular dentist.

[Happydays]

I have three implants. 2 are the old kind and 1 is the new kind. The new one has 3

teeth on it. Nothing to it except price. I do not remember what I paid.

[CLEM]

By all means get the implant.  I have 9 of them.  The co-pay is actually pretty good.  I did get the first 8 when I was still working and had good dental insurance.  I am glad I paid then because now that I am retired  I have to pay the total cost.  Had to do that about 2 years ago.

But all in all, I am really glad I got the implants.  I did not have a sinus lift though.

[MomCat]

I felt like the worse part of the whole experience was the pulling of the tooth.  Nothing about this process was painful, except to the pocketbook.  Even with insurance, there is a high cost, but I'd do it again.  My procedure took longer because of the tooth being pulled, and needed to heal, but after a couple of months it was all done and over.  Yay.   

[hondagirl]

I was going to get a molar done and I changed my mind due to the cost.  The dentist to do the implant wanted $3500 and then my dentist was to finish up.  total cost was going to be about $5000. and my insurance might have only covered $1500.... Could not afford it at the time since I live alone and money is tight.  But for all that had it done it's a good thing.

[muttmom]

I have an implant, lower molar.  There was next to no pain throughout the lengthy procedure.  I have dental insurance but it covered just the extraction and partial payment of the crown.  I paid about $4500 out of pocket.

From the time the tooth was pulled until the permanent crown was in place was about 9 months. The extraction and implant was done by an oral surgeon but the crown was done by my dentist.

[Big Sister]

Thank you, everyone for the good feedback.  I feel better about getting the implant but I will set up an apmt. with DDS to discuss it further.

[Seannie]

I have two of them, bottom right molar and bottom left molar.  They're great, match

other teeth nicely and my regular dentist did them with bone grafts.  They were

$3400 each after my dentist gave me a 15% discount.  The first one happened

because of a root canal failure, so after the other side started to hurt and the

dentist said he needed to do a root canal, I asked for an implant instead.  DH

wasn't real happy about the expense, but I'm very pleased.

Seannie

[Seannie]

Oh, forgot to mention.  My adult daughter has four of them--all four rearmost molars.

Her 12-year molars erupted thru her gums and were lacking enamel--they fell apart

like chalk.  So she had those four teeth replaced with implants as a teen and she's

doing great with them.  I remember the dentist had tears in his eyes when he

originally told us her molars were defective.  Back then, we went to a pediatric

oral surgeon because our regular dentist didn't feel ok with the anesthesia on a kid.

Can't remember the cost but I'm sure it was very significant.

Seannie

[Allegheny]

@Big Sister

I am finally getting near the end phase of my implants.  It has been over one year.  I originally had a three unit bridge fail so I had to have three implants and a sinus bump done.  Within the next several weeks I will be returning to my regular dentist to have the crowns fabricated.

My advice:

Go to a experienced professional for the implant placement, either a periodontist or oral surgeon.  With their expertise they will do the work correctly and efficiently.  

If they say you will have to wait months for healing after the implant, believe them.  Yes, the quicky implant and crown placement process  have been approved by the ADA, but the people I trust with my mouth and money still recommend several months of healing after the implant is placed.

Painful, well not that bad at all.  They will numb the area very well and give you a prescription for pain medication if needed.  I always made it a practice of taking a motrin about an hour before I had an appointment.

My advice comes not only from my own experience, but also before retirement I worked in a large government dental practice.  We were non profit and had top notch professionals.  The procedures we employed were state of the art, but also based on long term experience on what worked best.