When considering a big purchase, cost is often a key consideration. But sometimes, part of the cost can be what not having those goods or services means for you in your daily life. For example, you can save money by sleeping on a 30-year-old mattress instead of a new one, but you may need to deal with a lumpy bed and sleepless nights. You can spend less money on a car repair by having your friend’s cousin’s paperboy do it, but you might regret not hiring a certified mechanic down the road. Replacing your teeth works in sort of the same way. You can replace them with an older, cheaper removable denture, but you’ll need to deal with all the issues that come with them. Implant dentures provide a much higher quality of life, but what’s the cost of these more stable, functional dentures?
Types of Dentures, and What Do They Cost?
There are two main categories of dentures: traditional and implant dentures. Conventional dentures are the old-fashioned prosthetics with the bulky pink base that you might remember from your grandparents’ nightstand. They come in full and partial varieties and replace all or some of your teeth. While they do fulfill that purpose, they come with drawbacks.
Conventional dentures don’t quite look, feel, or work like your natural teeth, making it difficult or impossible to eat certain foods. They also do nothing to replace your missing tooth roots, which stimulate your jawbone and keep it healthy. As your jawbone deteriorates following tooth loss, the fit of your denture will change and begin to move in your mouth. It can even fall out if you’re not careful! While traditional dentures are the least expensive option, they also have the least to offer.
Implant dentures anchor to your jawbone with traditional or mini dental implants. This allows the denture to mimic your original teeth more closely in aesthetics, comfort, and functionality. You’ll be able to eat all your favorite foods, speak clearly, and never have to worry about your dentures moving or falling out. Plus, the implants act as artificial tooth roots, stimulating the jawbone to keep it strong. In terms of cost, the type of implant denture you select and the number of implants we need to use for your situation will impact the overall price.
The Mini Implant Advantages
One major aspect that impacts the cost of implant dentures is the type of implant used: a conventional dental implant or a mini dental implant. Fine Dental Center is proud to be a Mini Dental Implant Center of America in Wayne, NJ. We specialize in using mini implants as a foundation for implant denture solutions. Mini implants have many advantages over conventional implants, including a reduced cost. Consider these tremendous benefits:
- Minimally invasive: Conventional implants are approximately 5 mm wide and require surgical placement. Mini implants are less than 3 mm wide and don’t need incisions or stitches, only a tiny pilot hole. This makes their procedure faster, with less discomfort afterward.
- Faster healing time: Larger implants take longer to fuse with the jawbone. In fact, conventional implants can take three months or more to fully heal. On the other hand, mini implants take just a few weeks to become a permanent fixture in your mouth.
- Immediate results: Mini implants are immediately stable and can be loaded with your restoration on the same day we place them. Conventional implants can’t support their final restoration until they finish healing fully.
- More affordable: Mini implants are much more affordable than conventional implants because of their faster healing time, simpler manufacturing process, and fewer follow-up appointments. But don’t confuse affordability with lower quality; despite their small size, mini implants are as strong and durable as larger ones.
Mini Implant Denture Options
Implant dentures stabilized by mini implants come in removable and non-removable varieties.
- Snap-on dentures: Often called implant overdentures, this prosthetic “snaps on” to 4-8 mini implants and is removable at night for cleaning. It eliminates much of the pink plastic base of traditional dentures, allowing you to taste food more naturally while providing a more pleasing aesthetic appeal.
- Zirconia roundhouse bridges: These special roundhouse bridges are designed to replace all your teeth on top or bottom. Depending on your unique needs and preferences, Dr. Fine will place 6 to 12 mini implants to secure your roundhouse bridge. You may hear these options referred to as Fix-on-Six® or permanent dentures. With these options, no pink plastic base is needed. As a result, the zirconia roundhouse bridge is the closest option to your natural teeth!
Addressing the Cost of Implant Dentures
We understand that the cost of implant dentures can be seen as a barrier. But at Fine Dental Care, we strive to make transformative dental procedures affordable. Our staff will work with your insurance company to help you get the most from your coverage. We also provide affordable monthly payment plans through our outside financing partners so that implant dentures can be possible for budgets of all sizes.
Schedule a Free Implant Consultation Today
If you need to replace your teeth and don’t want to deal with the hassles of traditional dentures, implant dentures may be right for you. Our advanced options with mini dental implants provide a more stable, functional, and comfortable denture experience. Call Fine Dental Care today to schedule a free implant consultation and take the first step to a new life with implant dentures.
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