The True Cost of Dental Implants
What is the true cost of Dental Implants today?
Some people may say that dental implants are expensive. Some people say that they can’t afford dental implants.
But what do they cost you?
My name is Dr Roy Huson and I have been practicing dentistry for the last 27 years. I’ve been placing dental implants specifically for the last 18 years.
I have worked on the NHS in the UK, private practices in the UK and South Africa, hospitals, and fully cosmetic dental practices.
During this time I’ve seen the modernization and digitization of dental implants to what they are today and what I use in my daily practice.
We are a fully digital practice and use the latest technology in dentistry today to place our implants in the ideal positions quickly and with much less trauma so that the healing is that much quicker and less painful.
I see many referrals from other dental practices as well as people coming for a second opinion and quite often I am frustrated by what I see.
So many people present to me having had an alternative to dental implants because they couldn’t afford to have the implant done at the time.
Many of them ended up with bridges of some sort or dentures to fill the space or left the space open.
This often happens when their general dentist doesn’t offer dental implants and a bridge or denture is the only offering available to them at the time.

3D Model with impression of dental Bridge
I only wish that all of my patients knew exactly what bridges are and what they cost.
To have a bridge done we as dentists have to cut away at the teeth either side of the gap so as to make space for the porcelain of the bridge to fit within the bite of the jaws.
This is a very invasive treatment and a lot of healthy tooth is lost in the process.
If not done correctly, using the correct quality porcelain (Zirconia) and quality cements to attach it, the bridge could then only last for short time (I’ve seen some fail after 6months).
And when bridges fail you may end up with a gap of three teeth instead of just one. This would now require 2 to 3 dental implants to close that space.
Let’s look at the numbers then –To place a basic implant in good bone would cost (at our practice) around R11,000.
The crown (with components) on the implant would cost around R12,000. That makes a total of R23 000.
To have a bridge done would cost around R12 000 per unit and you would need 3 units. That makes a total of R36 000.
Which is cheaper ?
Now consider what happens if (and when) the bridge fails – you now need possibly 3 implants at R23 000 each. That makes a total of R69 000. This is excluding any bone grafts which are often necessary when bridges fail.
Either way the most important thing I feel passionately about is that my patients are able to make informed decisions based on the correct information offered to them at the time.
Also it’s worth finding a clinic that offers you different treatment options so you can choose the right one for you.
Know the facts so that you are able to make the right choice.
That is the real cost of Dental Implants today.
Feel free to leave a comment below or to get in touch if you have any questions about dental implants, cosmetic dentistry or digital dentistry.
“May the smile be with you” Roy
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