Top 3 Questions About Dental Implants

In today’s world, there is a lot of information available very quickly and easily. A quick search on
the internet will reveal more results than most people can process in a day. For this reason, looking up medical or dental procedures can become confusing as sometimes it is difficult to determine what is opinion or what is fact. To help make things a little simpler, will go over the three most common questions we are asked by patients looking at dental implants as an option.

What is the difference between a no charge consultation and comprehensive exam?

After you do your research, you can come to us with questions and we will be your guide on your journey to a perfect smile. We will answer all your questions and get a better understanding of what your wishes, wants and needs are. Once all of your questions are answered and you feel implants are a good choice for you, we will do a comprehensive exam for $99 to determine your specific needs. This includes our 3D scan, photos, bite­wing x­rays and a doctor exam. Implants need to be placed in a very precise manner so we spend extra time to plan your case. Both the surgical and restorative doctor utilize the 3D scan as a template of your mouth and it allows us to place digital implants in exact areas for optimal implant placement and success. Both doctors work as a team to utilize this technology to make the smile of your dreams as flawless as possible. Everyone’s anatomy is different and just placing an implant in bone and not understanding the space requirements for the implant crown can lead to early failure or an implant crown that always becomes loose. This is why we use the team approach to implant planning as we utilize each doctors area of expertise and bounce ideas off each other. Sometimes a patient may not have adequate bone height or width for implants, so we can plan to do bone rebuilding to make the area ideal for an implant. By doing this careful planning, we can usually avoid anatomy, such as nerves, to prevent long term harm and have a prosthesis that fits well. Once this very detailed planning process is complete, we will have you come back for a no charge sit down review of your treatment plan, time frame, and cost of your ideal treatment.

How much do implants cost?

This is a difficult question to answer as every patient is unique. What most people can compare is the cost of what is called the implant body or more commonly called the “screw”. At our practice as of Spring 2016 the implant body is $1900 and if you have our QDP membership it is $1520. Once an implant is placed there are many things you can do with it, such as attach to a tooth or a denture so we will not go over those costs here as it can be variable. Moreover, we offer something called a bundle fee so that if you are doing a lot of work, we can lower your cost-per-implant as ours goes down also. As an example of our New Teeth in Just One Day bundle fee, we only charge four implants (screws) to the patient, but if the bone allows and we can do five or six, we will at no additional cost.

Will I be comfortable during treatment?

The next step in creating your ideal smile is ensuring you are at ease during your treatment. It is not just about the planning or cost to us, it’s making sure you are as comfortable as possible with the doctors and staff. We try our very hardest to make your experience a positive one. If there is something you need or prefer, always let us know so we can make each visit as comfortable as possible. Our office has many sedation options to help those that need dental work, but are too fearful to receive treatment. Nitrous oxide or laughing gas, helps relax you. I would relate it having a glass of wine. Oral sedation is the next option. It is a form of conscious sedation similar to IV sedation but in pill form. You are never “knocked out” and are always able to respond to us. Most people are so comfortable they do fall asleep, but not from a too high dose of medicine. This is a great option for procedures up to 3 hours. Our final option is IV sedation. This form of sedation gives us the most control and allows us to keep you in a more comfortable state. You will still be able to respond to questions, and you will not be “knocked out”, but you may be so comfortable you catch up on your beauty sleep. The greatest advantage of oral and IV sedation is that most people do not have a memory of their experience.

At White Wolf Dental, we feel strongly that answering your questions up-front and honestly helps you make the best decision. We want you to  know what you are getting into and how we can make the experience a positive one. Our team of doctors and staff will always work our hardest to give you the smile you deserve.

-Dr. K