Cost of dental implants

peadar

I want to replace 1-6 molars depending on price. Lots of providers don’t give figures without an initial consultation (this often has to be paid for, which makes just shopping around expensive). Does anyone have any specific or general recommendations from experience?

Prices in the UK seem to be around £2500 for a single implant, but a whole jaw’s worth is much less than £2500x16. I assume there are economies to be had if the teeth are all connected, but only two of mine would be connected: would, say, 6 cost £15K if one is £2500? Also wondering how often costs like bone grafts are added to the bill.

Going abroad is a lot cheaper, but what is quality and aftercare like? Are there any that can be trusted? I'm not inclined to trust reviews on a company's own site. Dentaprime in east London claim to beat Hungary prices, their TrustPilot average is 4.6, has anybody used them?

PS I just want to eat comfortably, but dental implants seem to be marketed around smiling – I’ve no interest in smiles (  ) and my front teeth are fine anyway...cosmetic interest maybe insofar as the face can sink with missing teeth, but the marketing, and even domain names like ‘sexydentistry’ kind of puts me off!

Beeboo23

My grandma used dentaprime and they weren’t awful but they also weren’t the best and had to go back several times for things to be corrected. Think they accidentally left swabs or something in too which wasn’t great and some fell out. You get what you pay for tbh. I would have thought up north would be cheaper than London. I wouldn’t go on just price, I’d try and see if someone you know has been somewhere and see if you can go on recommendation. 

Some places will do a free chat with a treatment coordinator first to give you a better idea or you could ring round and find out roughly what they charge per implant and do the rough maths in your head. It may be worth paying for a few consults until you find someone you’re happy with. If a consult is say £150 although it seems a lot if you’re gonna be spending upwards of £15k it should be someone you’re happy with. 

Toothsmith

What does your regular dentist say about it?


If you don't have a regular dentist - then don't even consider implants. For implants to work you need to be a regular committed dental patient who values the advice of your dentist. It's not the sort of thing you wake up one morning, deciding you need some back teeth and have a google for the cheapest place to get that.

Implants do not suffer from decay - but they have their own version of gum disease that can become incredibly expensive/disfiguring if it sets in.

peadar

Toothsmith said:

What does your regular dentist say about it?


If you don't have a regular dentist - then don't even consider implants. For implants to work you need to be a regular committed dental patient who values the advice of your dentist. It's not the sort of thing you wake up one morning, deciding you need some back teeth and have a google for the cheapest place to get that.

Implants do not suffer from decay - but they have their own version of gum disease that can become incredibly expensive/disfiguring if it sets in.

It was my regular dentist who said the second molar will need to be removed due to root decay. And that as it plays an essential role my options going forward are either a denture or an implant. The practice doesn't do implants, and though she knows some that do she's unlikely to offer personal recommendations. A third option was mentioned (would involve root canal, filing down bone, and a double crown and cost c£1,000 for uncertain results). I'm seeing my dentist tomorrow for some other fairly routine NHS work. It was the same practice that fitted a crown to the molar in question around 2 years ago.

Toothsmith

It is part of the service to make appropriate referrals for our patients for services we don't provide ourselves. It's not really fair to abandon patients to their own Google searches for these things. I think if you were to ask, you should (hopefully) find them a bit more helpful that you're assuming they would be. 

peadar

Toothsmith said:

It is part of the service to make appropriate referrals for our patients for services we don't provide ourselves. It's not really fair to abandon patients to their own Google searches for these things. I think if you were to ask, you should (hopefully) find them a bit more helpful that you're assuming they would be. 

Thanks, I will ask tomorrow morning. But would that tie me to that specific provider? She mentioned leveling the 2nd molar down in line with the wisdom tooth for a double crown, but I'm not clear why she isn't looking to treat just the molar (root canal, new single crown) as I managed for a few years with it as it was.

peadar

My dentist mentioned a few local providers (including one she said was good but expensive) and suggested I shop around by searching on the web and also asking people who've had implants done for recommendations. Prices would vary from £1500 to £3000 per implant, and two would be twice the price.

Toothsmith

Sounds like she was pretty pushed for time. Can be a bit of a problem within busy NHS practices  

I really wouldn't consider the abroad option though. Too much can go wrong.