West Los Angeles Tooth Implant
Tooth Implant...
When a person loses a tooth, there are several options regarding how to replace that tooth.
Of course, you can just leave it out and deal with the decreased chewing function, or the cosmetic consequences and the potential shifting of the remaining teeth with the resulting changing bite function….
Over the years, dentists have been experimenting with several different options. A century and a half ago the average person had lost their teeth by their thirties; and the average person was dead at 45? So much for all those romanticized Western Movies!! By today’s standards, smiles were simply not that attractive in the mid 1800’s and beyond… especially by southern California standards!! Some authoritative person wrote about Southern California that it only takes about 15 seconds after an introduction for the people to decide whether or not they liked or trusted each other… and a huge part of the decision is based on the person’s smile!
Even in the movies, the black hats tend to have less than ideal teeth; while the white hats have teeth as straight and bright as the ivories on the piano. On the other hand, I grew up in a poor county where dental treatment was not a priority…. I went to my 40th class reunion, and the MC was standing in front of us all without a single tooth in his mouth!! Every time he swallowed, his chin bumped against the tip of his nose, and no one seemed to notice! And yet I can assure you that friendship and comradery run every bit as deep there as here
Of course, you can just leave it out and deal with the decreased chewing function, or the cosmetic consequences and the potential shifting of the remaining teeth with the resulting changing bite function….
Over the years, dentists have been experimenting with several different options. A century and a half ago the average person had lost their teeth by their thirties; and the average person was dead at 45? So much for all those romanticized Western Movies!! By today’s standards, smiles were simply not that attractive in the mid 1800’s and beyond… especially by southern California standards!! Some authoritative person wrote about Southern California that it only takes about 15 seconds after an introduction for the people to decide whether or not they liked or trusted each other… and a huge part of the decision is based on the person’s smile!
Even in the movies, the black hats tend to have less than ideal teeth; while the white hats have teeth as straight and bright as the ivories on the piano. On the other hand, I grew up in a poor county where dental treatment was not a priority…. I went to my 40th class reunion, and the MC was standing in front of us all without a single tooth in his mouth!! Every time he swallowed, his chin bumped against the tip of his nose, and no one seemed to notice! And yet I can assure you that friendship and comradery run every bit as deep there as here
Tooth Implant Process...
The tried and true method for placing and restoring implants is still the best.
We extract the unsalvageable tooth and fill the socket with calcium particles that serve as a matrix upon which new bone can grow. As the new bone forms around the calcium particles, the body dissolves the calcium particles away and excretes them out of the body. This results in a good foundation into which we can place the implant. It takes about four months for the bone to become dense enough to receive the implant.
Once the implant is placed it takes about another four months for the bone to grow tight around the implant so that we can place a crown on the implant and you are ready to go with a great long term solution.
There are cases where the root of the tooth is shaped so similar to the implant that we can place the implant the same day we extract the tooth. This saves about four months of treatment time.
We extract the unsalvageable tooth and fill the socket with calcium particles that serve as a matrix upon which new bone can grow. As the new bone forms around the calcium particles, the body dissolves the calcium particles away and excretes them out of the body. This results in a good foundation into which we can place the implant. It takes about four months for the bone to become dense enough to receive the implant.
Once the implant is placed it takes about another four months for the bone to grow tight around the implant so that we can place a crown on the implant and you are ready to go with a great long term solution.
There are cases where the root of the tooth is shaped so similar to the implant that we can place the implant the same day we extract the tooth. This saves about four months of treatment time.
Tooth Implant Price...
An implant is the ideal way to replace a missing tooth, and it has to be done with the proper technique and proper materials since you will be living with it for years to come.
We do not compromise on quality, and we still offer reasonable pricing so that patients are able to afford the best solution for their situation.
To fully replace a tooth, you will need at least an implant, an abutment, and a crown. The cost for the implant itself is $1,500 for each tooth, and later on the cost for the abutment and the crown is $1,500 for each tooth. So from start to finish, your total cost will be $3,000 per tooth.
If the tooth is not missing yet when you present to our office, it will have to be extracted first. At the same time as we remove the tooth, a bone augmentation will also be performed. This fills the void of the missing tooth with calcium particles, upon which your own bone can regrow and become a suitable site for the implant placement. The total cost of the extraction and bone augmentation is $1,000, which is in addition to the costs mentioned above.
For patients with PPO insurance, we are in-network with most companies, and sometimes your insurance plan will cover implants (but not always). Once you contact us we will get a breakdown of your dental benefits and we will be able to let you know ahead of time if and how much of the procedure will be covered by insurance.
We do not compromise on quality, and we still offer reasonable pricing so that patients are able to afford the best solution for their situation.
To fully replace a tooth, you will need at least an implant, an abutment, and a crown. The cost for the implant itself is $1,500 for each tooth, and later on the cost for the abutment and the crown is $1,500 for each tooth. So from start to finish, your total cost will be $3,000 per tooth.
If the tooth is not missing yet when you present to our office, it will have to be extracted first. At the same time as we remove the tooth, a bone augmentation will also be performed. This fills the void of the missing tooth with calcium particles, upon which your own bone can regrow and become a suitable site for the implant placement. The total cost of the extraction and bone augmentation is $1,000, which is in addition to the costs mentioned above.
For patients with PPO insurance, we are in-network with most companies, and sometimes your insurance plan will cover implants (but not always). Once you contact us we will get a breakdown of your dental benefits and we will be able to let you know ahead of time if and how much of the procedure will be covered by insurance.
