Millbrae Dental Care

Sleep Apnea, Dental Implants, TMJ Pain Relief and Cosmetic Dentist

Want a Second Opinion on Your Dental Implant?

happy male customer with new implant crowns

Why do we offer a no-charge second opinion on dental implants? A dental implant or implants are a major decision both from a medical view and financially. It is no secret, dental implants and crowns are not cheap. However, some offices charge much more than others for what appears to be the same service.

We are amazed at how many people swing by our office for Dr. Tsai to take a look and we find out they haven’t discussed other options, possible complications, and the other potential costs. So we started offering a no-charge implant consultation to help patients figure out if implants are the best solution for them and, of course, if they are getting a fair price.

How do some dentists offer cheap dental implants?

doller sign describing the cost of dental implants

The truth is, most of the time they are not really giving you a cheap or low cost dental implant. All they are doing is breaking up the many procedures that you need into smaller prices. When you add up all the steps: dental implant, bone graft, healing cap, healing membrane, abutment, and implant crown you will soon see the total cost is about the same as other places. The average price of a dental implant, abutment and crown is about $2,500 - 3,800 (depending upon how many teeth you are doing at once). If you need bone grafts or sinus lifts the cost will be different. It may be also be different if you have dental insurance.

Don’t get me wrong, there are places that offer very low cost dental implants but I would be cautious of the quality of care you will receive. So the questions you should ask when shopping around for low cost dental implants are:

Does this price include the dental implant, bone graft (if you need it), abutment and crown?

Do you use real bone for my graft or do you use synthetic bone?

Will the same doctor do my dental implant and the crown or are there other doctors?

If the dental implant fails will I have to pay to have it repaired?

What kind of dental implant do you use?

No-charge second opinion appointment for dental implants

Are dental implants from Mexico, Hungary, Asia or other countries ok?

mexico picture to show that many patients ask us about traveling to have their dental work done

Yes and no. I’ve seen many dental implants, crowns, bridges, and root canals that were performed very well at a much lower price. However, I’ve also seen and repaired hundreds of dental implants, crowns, etc. that were done so poorly in other countries that they caused my patients more harm than good.

Failed rootcanals, loose and infected dental implants, crowns with cavities around the edge are all very common results from low-cost international dentistry. If you are determined to travel to Mexico, China, Thailand, or any other country that offers low-cost dentistry here are a few rules to follow:

Make sure you can communicate with the actual doctor who will do the procedures.

Understand all the risks with the treatment you will recieve

Have a plan incase something goes wrong with the dental implant, crown etc.

Talk to some other patients who have had work done by that dentist - check his/her work

Make sure you will be there long enough to complete the work

Verify that they will use high quality labs to do the work

Factor in the price of your travel into the total cost of the dental work

Second opinion means a second price for your dental implants?

Again, I would refrain from making your dental implant decision on price alone. While I understand that the cost of dental implants is a major part of your decision, I always recommend getting a second opinion and a second price for a few reasons. Most importantly is that you get to meet another doctor or oral surgeon and see if he or she makes you feel more comfortable. You can also ask about their training, the type of implants they use and why, and of course, if they can perform the implants all in the same office. Most of our patients like the fact that we do not refer patients out for implants. We do them right here in our office.

What is the success rate of dental implants?

About 90-95% of all dental implants are successful. That may seem like a low number to some people, but keep in mind there are many factors that can cause a dental implant to fail. Most of them you have control over. The number one reason a dental implant may fail is smoking. Sorry smokers, but dental implants and the bone that supports them do not like smoke. The second common reason that dental implants may fail is periodontal disease of patients gums. When left untreated their gums can reced and expose the implant. So if we stop the smoking and take care of our gums the success rate of dental implants is up near 98%. If you have any concerns about these issues please let us know. We’ll do everything we can to help you better understand them for your situation.

How strong are dental implants?

Very. Dental implants are as strong as the bone they attach to. Below I have a video that shows the implant process and how your implant will integrate with your jaw bone. Once this is bone integration is complete we attach an abutment and your final implant crown. With proper care (cleaning your teeth, keeping your gums healthy and no smoking) your dental implant will last a lifetime.

How are dental implants put in?

Many patients are concerned about the process or procedure to place a dental implant. Once they find out how common and well understood the treatment is they are able to relax. Most dental implants can be placed in an hour or so. Once placed you will return to our office for a followup visit to make sure everything is healing properly. Then about four to six months later we will place the final crown and abutment. Below I have posted a video on YouTube that illustrates the implant process.

Dental implants and dentures, bridges & partials

beautiful woman smiling about her new dental implants

Dental implants and mini dental implants can be use to hold dentures, bridges and partial dentures securely in place. Many patients have a hard time keeping their dentures and partials comfortably in place all day. Even more so when they are eating hard, brittle food or even worse, sticky, chewy food.

In recent years it has become very common to use mini dental implants or full dental implants to solve this problem. The results are amazing. Imagine having your denture or partial lock into place during the day, and then be able to remove it for cleaning and sleep. Dental implants can make his possible.

How long do dental implants take?

Though every implant case is unique we allow four to six months of healing time once the implant is placed. During this time your natural bone is growing up to and integrating with your newly place dental implant. Implants are made of titanium which is safe, strong and light. Once the bone has healed around your implant we place the abutment and the crown. This is the last step. Start to finish usually takes four to six months.

Does dental insurance cover dental implants?

Absolutely. Dental Insurance usually covers as much as 50% of the total cost of your dental implant. However, every dental insurance plan is different so we would need to check with your plan. Just call or e-mail our office to set up a free consultation appointment. We will give you an insurance estimate of your copay after we make sure you’re a candidate for dental implants.