While price is a major factor when considering dental implants, do not assume that all implants are of the same quality. Nor should you assume that all specialists and general dentists receive the same training or have the same skills or experience. If these factors were the same, it’d be tempting to look for the cheapest option available. But these factors are not the same, requiring you to carefully consider your options to receive the best possible care.
Be especially wary of extremely cheap dental implants that are priced below $800 USD. You’ll recognize them because they promote their implants by price alone, like an online sale or the offers that you see in infomercials. They are also much cheaper than the rest of the options in the same general location. When most clinics offer dental implants from $850 to $1000, clinics that offer implants at $600 are offering an inferior quality product likely placed by a general dentist. This is cause for concern.
Dental implants are biocompatible screws that will be surgically inserted into your jawbone and may last for a lifetime. You will have a long time to regret a bad decision, so don’t base your choice solely on price.
The reason that these implants can be offered at bargain basement prices is that dentists and the clinics that perform the procedures get cheap materials or cut corners in the process. For example, some obtain materials from different brands which may not be compatible with each other. Obviously this gives subpar results. Lower quality dental implants cost less. Higher quality implants cost more. You truly get what you pay for.
Ethical dentists believe in offering the best service they can to their patients and they obtain materials that have been tested and approved by long-term clinical studies performed by reputable associations. These materials are costlier due to the exacting procedures and rigorous testing they undergo. As a result, dentists who use these materials charge higher fees than the ones who offer cheap implants. However, since location affects prices, it’s a good idea to compare prices in a given area, rather than globally.
In the end, a cheap dental implant may be more expensive in the long run. Every week we refer patients that chose the lowest price implants to specialist, who will need to replace their failed implants and often the crowns and protheses that were attached to the implants. These patients end up spending much more due to their decision to choose the lowest-priced option.
Failed dental implants or subpar quality implants may affect your chewing and speaking ability. Your health, satisfaction, and self-esteem cannot be measured in dollar. Seek the best quality dentistry you can afford, not the cheapest.
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