A recent article printed in the New York Times discusses relief from the misery of dentures with dental implants.
For Most, Implants Beat Dentures, but at a Price
“They fell out when I talked,” Mr. Panko, 56, a small-business owner in Woodridge, Ill., recalled. “I couldn’t taste my food – in fact, I could hardly chew. It was the most miserable time of my entire life.”
Mr. Panko, who lost his teeth in his early 50’s because of a hereditary form of periodontal disease, eventually replaced his dentures with something better: dental implants. While many people wear dentures without discomfort, implants are now considered the preferred treatment for replacing lost teeth, said Dr. Robert Pick, an associate professor of surgery at the Feinberg School of Dental Medicine at Northwestern University.
The procedure is straightforward. A surgeon places a titanium screw in the jaw bone, and prosthetic teeth are secured to the implant. They don’t wiggle or slip, as dentures can, and are healthier for the gum and bone. Most patients find implants easier to maintain than dentures.
“Best decision I ever made,” Mr. Panko said of his implants. I could chew beer cans now”.
For all their advantages, implants are expensive. Insurance coverage is usually minimal, and patients are often surprised by high out-of-pocket costs….Why so much? Implants typically involve the work of both a surgeon and a dentist. Several office visits may be needed to put in the screws and to add the prosthetic teeth. More dental insurance plans are covering the costs, but the annual reimbursement limit is typically $1500, an amount that hasn’t changed in four decades….Still many patients find it a worthwhile investment. Implants typically last a lifetime, with a failure rate of less than 5 percent.
Let’s say you lose one tooth. If you opt for a bridge, which costs almost as much as an implant but is more often covered by insurance, the dentist will grind down the two adjacent teeth to create a structure that secures the replacement tooth.
The ground teeth become more vulnerable to decay and nerve damage, and there’s a good chance you will require a root canal in the future, said Dr. Karl Gruendl, a dentist in Fenton, Mo., who advises insurance plans.
A study done for Washington Dental Service, the largest insurance carrier in Washington State, found that over a five-year period the maintenance costs for people with bridges were higher than for those who had implants.
“For a single tooth replacement, over the long run we think it’s more beneficial to get the implant”, said Dr. Ron Inge, dental director for Washington Dental Service. And that’s an insurance executive talking….
Implants also will help protect your bones over time. “The screw in your jawbone will trick the body into thinking you still have teeth,” said Dr. Ira Cheifetz, president of the American Association of Maxillofacial Surgeon. “The bone continues to grow and thrive.”
There is good news for the patients in Dr. Weingarden’s practice. Dental implants generally cost less in Pittsburgh than other major cities across the country.
Dr. Weingarden also offers interest-free payment options. Through dental implant technology, patients can rid themselves of the misery of dentures and regain the look, feel and function of their natural teeth.
For more information regarding dental implants, visit our website at
www.pittsburghimplantsandperio.com
For this article in its entirety visit www.nytimes.com