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Implant Information
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"Dentistry for the 21st Century"
Implant History:
The history of dental implants dates back to Egyptian times when sea shells
were literally hammered into the jaw. Modern day dental implants are a result of trial and error with marginal techniques
and materials such as vitreous carbon and stainless steel. An accidental discovery by Swedish orthopedic surgeon Dr.
Brånemark changed the whole course of dentistry. He discovered that titanium was totally biocompatable with bone and when
atraumatically inserted into bone there was a strong bond. He called this "osseointergration."
The Economics of Implants:
Before the advent of osseointergrated dental implants, the cost to success
ratio was high. Fifty percent of the implants were nonfunctional in 3-5 years and the remaining rarely lasted much longer.
New techniques and materials have allowed success rates over 90%. Many of the original osseointergrated implants are functional
to this day.
When compared to non-osseointergrated implants of the pre-1980's, todays dental implants
are a bargain even in the $1,500 to $3,000 range. The fee for dental implants is determined by
1. The number of implants
placed.
2. The Doctors experience and training.
3. The type and "quality" of the implant.
4. The
fixed overhead of the surgical suite and staff.
Implants placed by Oral Surgeons and Periodontists command a higher
fee because of their additional training and expertise. Some specialists routinely receive over $3,000 for each implant even
when several implants are placed during a single operation. The actual implant (device placed directly in the bone) is manufactured
by several different companies all of which must comply with FDA guidelines and be certified for human use in the USA. Some
implants are considered "transitional" meaning that they will be used for temporarily securing an appliance (denture,
crown, bridge). These are usually considerably less expensive.
Most of todays modern implants are "root form"
in that they duplicate the shape and size of the tooth root. These are available from over a dozen different manufacturers
at a cost to the surgeon of $75 to $400. In addition to the actual device there are other considerable costs including ancillary
items (e.g. healing collar), special drills and instruments. The surgeon must also have a surgical suite with trained personnel
and take post graduate training in the placement and care of dental implants. The actual cost of having a qualified professional
place a single device is significantly greater than the price of the hardware.
The basic implant fee is modified
when additional procedures are required to prepare the site or optimize success. These may include removal of diseased tissue
or roots, augmenting bone with grafts, or reshaping the tissues around adjacent teeth. Additionally, sedation or IV anesthesia
are often necessary especially with prolonged or more complicated treatment. Frequently the basic implant fee is increased
to reflect the cost of these additional materials, medications and procedures.
How then can we have a specialist
in a state-of-the-art clinic place highest quality dental implants for less than half of the basic fee considered "usual,
customary and reasonable?" The answer lies with 3 facts:
1. The overhead cost per implant decreases with
the number of implants placed.
2. Patients referred by a general dentist to an Oral Surgeon or Periodontist are burdened
with the additional overhead required for two offices.
3. A facility that offers comprehensive dental care can include
discounted implants in the total treatment package and still maintain a reasonable profit margin.
Links to additional Information:
Some Other Dentist's views on Implants and fees
Implant Information from Mayo Clinic
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"The longer I
live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important
than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people think
or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill. It will make or break a company...a church...a
home. The remarkable thing is we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day.
We cannot change our past...we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable.
The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude... I am convinced that life is 10% what
happens to me and 90% how I react to it. And so it is with you...we are in charge of our attitudes."
Charles
Swindoll
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