Home / Cost & Financing
Money, said plainly
We will not quote
you a number
over the phone.
Not to be difficult — because the honest figure depends on what the imaging shows, and a number given before an examination is either a guess or a hook. Here is how the number is actually built.
Why people come here
- Surgery and the finished teeth done by one dentist, under one roof
- Diplomate of the International Congress of Oral Implantologists
- Fellow of the Misch Institute — and faculty at its successor
- A written, itemized plan before anything is scheduled
The components
A single implant is three line items.
The implant, the abutment and the crown are quoted separately because they are three distinct pieces of work at three different appointments. When a practice advertises a single low number for “an implant”, it is usually the first of those three.
What can be added
- Extraction of the failing tooth, where one is still present
- Bone grafting or socket preservation, where the ridge needs it
- Sinus elevation for upper back implants
- 3D imaging and the planning workup
- IV conscious sedation, where it is used
A full arch is quoted differently — as one figure per arch covering the implants, the surgery, the provisional and the final prosthesis — because those parts are not separable in practice. An implant-supported bridge sits between the two and is quoted as a unit.
What moves the number
Six things that change the figure.
How much bone you have
The single biggest variable. Grafting adds cost and months; avoiding the need for it saves both.
Which tooth
A front tooth carries a harder cosmetic requirement than a back molar, and the soft-tissue work that goes with it.
Number of implants
Full arches are not priced per tooth. Four to six implants can carry twelve teeth, which is why the arithmetic surprises people in a good way.
Bridge versus individual
Two implants carrying four teeth costs meaningfully less than four implants carrying four teeth. Both will be on your estimate.
Materials
Zirconia, titanium and hybrid prostheses differ in cost, longevity and how they are repaired. Trade-offs, not tiers.
Staging
Larger cases can often be sequenced across benefit years, which changes what you pay out of pocket without changing the treatment.
Reading a quote
Compare like with like.
A thin quote
Be careful
- A single price with no breakdown of implant, abutment and crown
- No mention of grafting when the x-ray clearly shows it will be needed
- Imaging and planning not itemized anywhere
- A discount that expires if you do not book today
A real quote
What you should get
- Every component listed on its own line
- Grafting and extractions shown, or explicitly excluded
- The number of implants stated for a full arch
- The sequence and the timeline written down alongside the fees
- A pre-determination filed with your insurer before you commit
Questions
Cost, answered.
Is there financing?
Third-party financing is widely used for implant treatment and the front desk can walk you through the options and what each one actually costs over its term.
What if I have no dental insurance?
The practice offers a dental savings plan for uninsured patients. It is not insurance — it is a membership that discounts treatment — and for many people it works out better than a low-cap policy.
Can I pay as I go?
To an extent. Treatment is naturally staged across several appointments, and fees generally fall with those stages rather than all at the start.
Is a cheaper implant abroad a bad idea?
Not automatically — but plan for the aftercare. Implant systems vary, and a component from an unfamiliar system can be difficult to source if something needs replacing in five years. Ask which system was used and keep the paperwork.
Start with an exam and a straight answer.
A consultation includes an examination, 3D imaging and a written, itemized plan. If implants are not the right treatment for you, Dr. Patellis will say so and tell you what is.