Have you been looking for a West Hollywood dentist to help with your smile? Sometimes, teeth get lost. Whether it’s from old age or an accident, dental implants could be a great option. Dental implants help fill in those gaps. Plus, they do more than just look good. They’ll also protect your mouth. That way, your jaw stays in place. However, are you a good candidate for them? Most people would qualify, but not everyone. You’ve got to have decent dental health. Also, you should try to stop smoking if you’re a smoker.
What Are Dental Implants
Dental implants are a type of device inserted into your mouth. When you lose a tooth, these replace what you’ve lost. Each implant is made of several different components. First, there’s a titanium rod. This rod is surgically installed into your jaw bone. After your evaluation, you’ll have one put into your mouth. It’ll take several weeks for all of that to heal.
Once that’s done, you’ll have an abutment attached to the titanium rod. These act as the seat for your dental crown. The crown is what you actually see from the outside. Crowns are made to resemble your natural teeth as much as possible. Most of the time, they’ll be made out of ceramic. However, if you’ve got other preferences, you can have them made out of just about anything.
Are You Qualified for Dental Implants
Dental implants are a relatively common and straightforward procedure. For the most part, nearly anyone could have them done. Still, there are a few situations that could prevent you from getting them. Take a look at the following factors. Keep these in mind while you make your plans.
How Is Your Dental Health?:
Above all, you’ll need to have decent dental health. People who suffer from periodontal diseases must treat that first. Otherwise, you run a high risk of infection during the procedure. Fortunately, if you are suffering from gum disease, your dentist can help you treat it. Once that’s all taken care of, you ought to be good to go.
How Many Teeth Are You Missing?:
Replacing a single tooth isn’t all that complicated. However, if you are missing several of them, things get a bit more intricate. At a certain point, it might be more effective to get dentures. Speak to your dentist to see what would work the best for you.
Are You a Heavy Smoker?:
Finally, lots of dentists won’t perform any procedures on those who smoke heavily. Heavy smoking is bad for your dental health overall. However, if you undergo surgery, it dramatically increases your odds of complications. Before getting dental implants, that’s one habit you’ll have to kick.
Cost
A ton of factors go into the price of dental implants. So, it’s impossible to give you an exact estimate. Without knowing more about your situation, all we can give you would be a general estimate. General ranges can vary from a few hundred dollars to thousands. Talk to your dentist to see what they tend to charge. Most practices offer payment plans so that you can afford implants more easily.
Depending on the Procedure’s Complexity, Prices Will Vary:
Replacing a single tooth won’t cost as much as replacing multiple of them. As your procedure becomes more complex, the price will start to rise. More involved procedures always cost more. Until you’ve had an examination, it’s tough to tell just how involved yours will be.
If You Pay for Them Out of Pocket, It Could Be a Couple Thousand Dollars:
If you’d like to have a general idea of the price, prepare to pay a couple of thousand dollars. It’s possible that the final price falls well below this range. However, if you prepare for thousands, you’ll never be surprised. Getting surprised by a larger bill than you expected is never fun. It would be a lot better to prepare for a large bill and be met with a small one.
Does Insurance Cover the Cost of Dental Implants?
Does your insurance help cover the cost of implants? Well, most of the time, they will. However, each policy is different. Read through all of your policy details to see what they’ve covered for you. Without looking at the plan in detail, you won’t know how much they’ll help.
Some Policies Provide Coverage for These:
Generally speaking, most policies provide some level of coverage for implants. Implants are protective of your overall health. So, it’s in their best interest to help cover the cost of these procedures. Each policy will cover a different amount, though. Check your policy details to figure out exactly how much they’ll cover for you.
Certain Policies Only Cover Implants if They Are Medically Necessary:
Pay attention to any restrictive clauses in your policy. If you aren’t sure what that means, then speak to your policy agent. They’ll be able to tell you whether you’ve got any restrictions. Sometimes, insurance companies will only pay for implants if they medically necessary. That just means you’ve got to have a dentist tell your insurance company you need to have implants. Otherwise, your policy wouldn’t kick in.
Even if You Have Coverage, You Might Still Have Some Out-of-Pocket Expenses:
Even people who have insurance still have to pay something most of the time. Policies tend to cover a specific dollar amount. If not, then they tend to cover a percentage of the overall cost. Again, consult with your insurance agent to find out what applies to you.
The Best Holistic Dentist
If you are looking for a new West Hollywood dentist, then we’d love to help. We’ve been among the best holistic dentist practices for a long time. Over the years, we’ve helped thousands of patients with their implants. Give us a call, and we’ll give you a consultation. During the consultation, we can answer any questions you have. Then, you’ve just got to set a date for the procedure. We’ll even help you handle everything with your insurance.
