There were some old closed threads about this, so I am starting a new one. Family member has been told that they need dental implant for damaged lower second molar. This is a young person with TMJ. Dentist will do Plasma Rich Growth Factors(PDGF), if after extraction they feel bone is lacking. Dentist does use CT scanning for surgery. Seems like it takes a long time (from extraction to completion will be over 6 months). Also the quoted cost is $7,000 (without the cost of the dentist putting in the actual crown - haven’t got that estimate yet). Insurance will pay for nothing!
Any experiences people have? How long will the new tooth last? Any tips/recommendations? What should I know and ask?
I don’t have any experience with dental implants or the expensive solution to your family members problem.
But I am wondering if they have consulted with an ENT about their TMJ?
I have suffered with TMJ, honestly the dentists solutions were very very expensive and sometimes invasive. ENT’s see TMJ sufferers all the time and may have different ideas than the dentists. Were there any recommendations for physical therapy?
I’m the one who had a thread on this while I was trying to figure this out.
Just completed! That’s double the price I paid. I’d go for second opinion…
Mine was around 3500 (or bit less) inclusive of everything which I found was pretty much the going price. (even had a dentist from across the country confirm my pricing inquiry). I don’t have dental insurance either.
The implant includes the crown–that’s the whole point–you have a new tooth at the end. In fact my dentist said I could have done a crown but since my tooth was so cracked that an implant might be the better choice for the long term. An implant should last a lifetime.
The timeline is long but mostly a waiting game.
Initially they took pictures of tooth using computer tomography (CT) so they have a 3D picture to replace the tooth. Great since you don’t have to do wax impressions and the tooth implant will fit perfectly at the end. Takes 2 minutes.
(and pretty cool actually) Those are sent to the lab who makes your tooth.
Then they pull the bad tooth. Ugh. (worst part)
If there is enough bone then the spike can be inserted at that time. But don’t count on it. Much more prudent to wait.
If not, then the bone replacement growth material will be put in the socket (most likely).
It’s just like a slurry of bone material mixed with your blood. No biggie but they have to draw your blood.
There are two types of growth material–my dentist suggested the cadaver type because it worked better–but he gave me the choice between that and a synthetic type.
Now…you wait 3-4 months until you get enough bone growth for the spike to be put in. (cue Jeopardy theme)
When you get enough bone, then they put in the spike (not bad at all)
But now you get to wait another 3 months for that to heal properly. (cue Jeopardy again).
And…
Finally they glue the tooth on top of the spike. And you’re done. YEA!
So yes, it’s not a quick process. Most is just sitting around waiting for bone to grow. The actual time spent in the dentist chair isn’t that much (except for the tooth extraction part).
My implant was on the top which sometimes can run into extra problems with sinuses etc. (I got lucky in that regard) but since this is on the bottom you wouldn’t run into that.
I have one implant. It took a long time - the better part of a year, mostly waiting for things to heal before the next step as gouf78 says. But in the end the it worked out great. The new tooth works fine and it will never have another cavity.
Going through the process now. Upper molar, needed sinus bump, used cadver. Cost, approx. $3500. My dentist uses laser, no post op bleeding, no swelling afterwards, very little pain, ( took 1/2 hydrocodone the evening of the procedure and that was it). He did the bump and placement of the stem at the same time, confirmed placement with CT scan. This was the middle of June. A number of rechecks and x-rays since, no problems at all, great healing. Crown is anticipated to be done in October.
I take it back. 3700 dollars. Certainly not 7K
2000 for surgery plus 1700 for tooth.
What in the world did the kid do to their tooth to require an implant? Just curiosity.
Seems like in a young person that a crown would be a more likely choice. My tooth was split pretty much stem to stern but a crown was still an option at the time.
PDGF sounds like an expensive procedure unlikely to have a significant benefit for a young non-smoker. I would definitely seek a second opinion with an oral surgeon or periodontist with extensive experience in implant technology. Check Yelp or Nextdoor for recommendations. Newer techniques are making the implant process much less painful and time consuming. If the roots of the tooth to be extracted are healthy it is often possible to place the implant at the time of tooth extraction, saving months of time and inconvenience.
My dentist had me visit a different surgeon after the first one told me it would not be possible to place an implant for an upper tooth. The second surgeon, a periodontist with a high volume implant business, did the procedure in 20 minutes- which included a sinus lift. The variability in expertise among practitioners offering implants is substantial. Given the expense and suffering involved, it is definitely worth obtaining second and third opinions before committing to the procedure. You can bring your CT scan on a CD for the second opinion.
I have two implants and they are trouble free and should last forever. The cost for the surgery was around $2000, and about $1200 for the crown.
As is the case with most surgeries, the cost varies a lot by what part of the country you live in.
I have an implant, and thankfully we had insurance that covered 50% (after $500 deductible) but only up to max annual benefit of $2000. We ended up paying $3000 and insurance paid its $2000.
My sister needed almost the same thing, and she paid $4800, her insurance only paid $1000. She told me that if she had to do it again, she’d have gone to Mexico, and had it done for $500. She said she could have recovered at a poolside hotel for 2 weeks in Acapulco for a lot cheaper than she paid.
DH got an implant in nearby Canada, $2500 CDN plus the crown, I know people in the big city a few hours from the border were getting quote of $6-10k. DH & the 3-4 friends who’ve gone to the dentist in Canada are quite happy with it all. I think it was about 4 months total from extraction to implant to crown.
We had a family member that ended up having a reaction to the titanium rod that was used and had to have everything removed. She ended up having a permanent bridge put in.
i have an implant (around $5k). I got an infection around it about a year after it was placed. that was horrible! the whole side of my face was swelled up! then i got crowns replaced around the tooth. sometimes i wish i had just left it open, but i do notice people when they have a few missing teeth on the sides of their mouth; so i’m glad it’s done. But, it’s not been easy.
Tooth was damaged by impacted wisdom tooth pushing into it. TMJ is totally under control (thanks to PT), but can’t keep her mouth open for long periods when getting dental work done.
$2,000 of the estimate is for the Plasma graft - I also would think not needed for young healthy person. Another $1,000 is if they give general anesthesia (again probably not needed).
Given waiting periods were from 2-4 months between stages (so could take a long time overall).
Was actually thinking of doing the opposite of spacing it out - pre-paying for the entire thing this calendar year to get it as a tax deduction.
@kiddie-- Totally get the TMJ part and keeping your mouth open for long periods. I have TMJ problems.
But I did not have ANY problems with getting the implant. The worst part is the tooth extraction which isn’t actually all that long–you can close your jaw as needed during that procedure so shouldn’t be a problem at any rate.
(It doesn’t take long either–just exhausting on some levels).
I have no idea how a “plasma graft” would be any different than what I had done. I don’t think it is. That’s just a normal and expected part of the whole process. It’s not a super special “thing”.
My dentist did said “bone graft” at first which sounded scary but just turned out to be filling my empty tooth socket with growth material (combo of my blood with the bone material would totally equal “plasma graft” like I mentioned earlier.
Don’t know about the anesthesia cost they added on.
The ONLY part of anything that is scary (depending on how chicken you are–I’m chicken) is the initial tooth extraction but honestly they numb you up like for a cavity drilling and it isn’t any different. You don’t feel anything during the procedure.
My gut feel having been through this–you definitely need another opinion.
I have two implants and had no problems. I didn’t need a graft. The only thing that bothered me was the length of time to complete the process. I paid about $3K for the implant and extra for the crown.
My daughter had to get three implants (three front upper teeth) due to an impacted canine tooth in the palate dissolving the roots of those permanent teeth when she was nine. She lost one when the was thirteen and got a prosthetic tooth on her retainer. Then at 18, when she was finally old enough, she got her two front teeth extracted by an oral surgeon (they were barely hanging on), three rods immediately implanted, and then an hour later, her prosthodontist fit her with a temp bridge while the rods bonded with the bone. She was only “toothless” for an hour. The temp bridge was not removable and looked great.
Then about 7-8 months later, she got the permanent implants. They looked even better. The prosthodontist who worked with her is the team dentist for two pro sports teams in our area including a hockey team. The whole process including the oral surgery (tooth extraction x2 and implants x3) and both the temp bridge and permanent crowns x3 cost us $11.5K. We live in a high cost of living area. So I think the 7K for just one tooth sounds high.
I’ve read that implants don’t last forever and could need to be replaced in 10 years or so.
No need for going all the way under with anesthesia, it’s really not that bad, but if she is super stressed ask for an Rx of Halcion or something like that. And wear and iPod and listen to something distracting.
Make sure you are going to a board certified oral surgeon. Believe it or not, not all dentists, orthodontist or oral surgeons are board certified and there is a tremendous difference in training.
Also, many are now “jumping on the implant” bandwagon. I know a dentist who went to NYC for a six week training to do them. That is not what you want. Make sure you are seeing a highly qualified and experience oral surgeon.
The cost varies based on if grafting is needed or not. Yes, it is very expensive.
You folks only paying $2-3K are lucky. Costs are all over the place and can vary by region, by what kind of dentist you choose.
I have had one in the past year as has husband. My mother has had several. We’ve all used board certified oral surgeons - 2 different ones among the three of us. No plasma. Husband and mom needed bone grafts so they had a two step procedure - tooth pulled and bone graft on one visit then months later the implant. Crown was separate and done with general dentist. I did not need a bone graft so both pulling and implant were done the same day. Small amount of cadaver bone used to fill in.
For all three of us living in the same state, 2 separate dentists costs were approx:
Oral surgeon: extraction, graft if needed, between $4-5K
Dentist: crown on top of implant around $2k (slightly more expensive crown than a normal crown because it has an extra piece to it).
Then for mine, I had already had a root canal and a crown which failed. So, all in, yep around $10K. No dental.
I have developed more empathy for folks with gaps in their mouths. Most people can’t afford this.
Dental work is extraordinarily expensive and most dental insurance – if you’re lucky enough to have it – only covers up to a few thousand a year. But good dental work is a strong indicator of economic class, so most of us will sacrifice in order to have our teeth look good.