- Cost. Most patients consider the cost of dental implants as being very high. Actually, the cost is the biggest barrier why patients do not get dental implants. But if you consider the other prices of dental procedures, the fact that the dental implant replaces a very functional body part, the longevity of the dental implant, the value that it brings back to the patient, you can see that the price should not be such a big obstacle.
- Medical Insurance does not cover it. Dental Insurance covers just a small portion of the fee. Even if it a medical and dental procedure, the medical insurance does not pay for it and the dental insurance pays just very little. This lack of insurance coverage affects mostly people on a very tight budget when they would have to pay mostly out of pocket.
- Being a surgical procedure, dental implant is perceived as a painful procedure. Let me tell you, it is not. It is not even close to the discomfort of a root canal or an extraction. From the patient’s perspective, the procedure is as comfortable as getting a filling. The average time of dental implant placement is about 10 min.
- More doctors involved. Most of the implants in USA are done in teams of doctors. One doctor does the surgery and another one makes the tooth for the implant. The problem is that the patient might favor one versus the other, the cost is higher because both doctors need to be paid, longer completion time and if something goes they are going to blame each other. In our office, all the work is completed by Dr. Pastiu from examining the patient, surgery, placement of the tooth and the teeth are manufactured in our own in-office lab.
- Not for everyone. Some people cannot have dental implants because of the bone condition. Sometimes the bone is too thin, the bone graft does not integrate or the bone metabolism is disrupted by treatment with bisphosphonates for osteoporosis. A good practitioner would be able to tell you if you qualify or not for dental implants during the examination.
- Complications. Although very rare, dental implants have some complications sometimes years after placements. All complications can be addressed and corrected. That becomes a problem for the patients when they are not covered by any warranty and they have to pay for repairs or replacements. In our office, we offer complete lifetime warranty for everything that we do.
- Your regular dentist does not do implants. That is a small problem, but sometimes patients are attached to their own lifetime dentist and they have a hard time going to another dentist just for the implants. Even if their regular dentist refers them to another practitioner for this procedure, they are very reluctant to go, in this way they delay the procedure.
These are the only disadvantages of dental implants, but they are overweighed by the benefits and value that they provide to the patient for the rest of his life.