One of the most common concerns and questions faced by people wanting to get permanent teeth replacement via a dental bridge is, “how much do bridge implants teeth cost?”
This question, though very common, remains unanswered because the full cost of bridge implants for teeth is dependent on various factors, so a generalized answer isn’t possible or really helpful. However, we can still get a rough idea of how much the treatment would cost by educating ourselves on these contributing factors, which will at least help us make up our minds regarding pursuing the procedure.
In this blog, we’ll have a look at the factors behind bridge implant cost, helping you gauge your financial fitness for the procedure.
Building The Basics: What Are Bridge Implants For Teeth?
Before we dip our toes into the cost factors of bridge implants, it’s pertinent for us to understand what bridge implants are and how they work.
Bridge implants, as the name clearly shows, are a permanent restorative treatment comprising two important components: a ‘bridge’ and ‘implants’. Let’s discuss these two separately.
Bridge
A bridge is a dental restorative device, or a set of prosthesis devices, which is supposed to replace teeth in people who have lost some of their teeth. The design of a dental bridge is simple — a few fake teeth units are pieced together. The units on either side of the bridge are called ‘crowns’, whereas all those lying in the middle are known as ‘pontics’. The difference between crowns and pontics is that crowns have space underneath (for attachment to dental implants, in the case of permanent bridges), and pontics are solid tooth units.
The bridge fills the space left by missing teeth, with crowns filling the ends of the gaps and pontics filling the middle of it. In this way, the discontinuity in the dental arch (caused by missing teeth) is bridged (which explains why the device is known as a bridge), making the arch whole again.
Implants
Now that you’ve understood what a bridge is and how it replaces missing teeth, you must be wondering how the bridge retains its place in the mouth. The answer is via dental implants. Implants are the behind the scenes heroes that actually hold the bridge in place.
These are cylindrical posts made up of biocompatible materials which are inserted into the toothless section of the jawbone, where they serve as artificial tooth roots — anchoring the artificial teeth (bridge) securely in the jawbone and providing it with enough strength and support to retain its place in the mouth.
The combination of bridge and implants gives you a holistic (covering the entire lost tooth structures from the invisible roots all the way to the visible crowns) and long-lasting (lasting for multiple years and even a lifetime with proper care) replacement to missing teeth.
This is why it’s called a permanent teeth replacement option, setting it apart from its temporary counterpart (traditional tooth supported dental bridges which, although fixed, are not as durable as dental implant supported bridges).
How Much Do Bridge Implants Cost?
Now comes the real question — what’s the cost of getting bridge implants?
As we mentioned earlier, there’s no generalized answer to how much the treatment would cost, as it’s dependent on several factors. For our understanding, let’s divide these factors into two groups: case-dependent factors and surgeon-dependent factors.
Case Dependent Factors
Case-dependent factors are related to your individual case and include the following considerations:
- The number of missing teeth. A bridge can replace anywhere from 2-6 (or even more) teeth, but the only condition is the missing teeth should be in consecutive sequence and not scattered around the mouth at different places. For instance, if you have two missing premolars, you may get an implant bridge to replace them both. Similarly, you can get a bridge for missing premolars and the first molar too. The more the number of missing teeth, the more the cost of the treatment would be, as the bridge would have to be designed accordingly. So, the cost of a four-teeth bridge on implants would be more than, say, the cost of a three-teeth bridge.
- The location of missing teeth also counts a lot. Front teeth implant bridge cost is higher than that of other teeth, as permanent teeth replacements require a careful consideration of so many factors, aesthetics being one of them (of course, you’d want to get the most natural-looking yet attractive replacement when it comes to your front teeth).
- The material of implants and bridge that you choose would also affect the treatment cost. There’s a range of options available, from traditional materials like Titanium for implants and composite for bridges to more advanced high-quality materials like Zirconia. Opting for an advanced material would obviously cost more (due to the intricacy involved in the manufacturing), but the benefits would be worth the cost.
- Pre-treatment procedures may come up, such as bone grafts or sinus lifts, to avoid surgical complications.
Surgeon Dependent Factors
Besides case-dependent factors, which have to do with your individual case and preferences, the treatment cost would also vary based on where you get it from (the clinic) and especially the surgeon who performs the implant surgery. This will include considerations such as:
- How experienced is the surgeon, and what’s the overall reputation of the dental clinic where they practice? Highly experienced practitioners in reputable clinics situated in large cities often charge more than others, and it’s due to their expertise in preventing failed dental implants through precision that they charge more.
- The cost charged by the surgeon would also depend on the specific technique employed by them in the implant surgery, which includes how extensively they plan out (which tools they use for diagnostics and planning) and execute the entire surgical process.
Conclusion
Implant bridge cost is a variable entity, depending on several aspects of your treatment, which includes case-specific factors (the number and location of lost teeth, the material of the implant bridge) as well as the factors associated with your surgeon (their skill level and specific treatment approach).
For more details about an implant bridge, schedule a FREE consultation with AZ Implant Clinic, a premium dental practice located in Phoenix, Arizona. Get your case examined by our team of expert implant surgeons and pave your way to a rejuvenated smile!
