Sunday, November 8, 2015

Affording Dental Implants

The cost of dental implants continues coming down.  And if you consider the benefits, the time involved and the expertise of your specialist, our Sandy Springs patients consider implants worth every penny.  To help you understand and appreciate the cost how dental implants may differ depending on various factors.

If the price is too good to be true, it probably is.

The cost of a dental implant ranges from around $1,100 up to $5,000.00.  Anything less may be an indicator that you’re getting an inferior product or an implant that’s not designed for a particular location in your mouth.  There are those that advertise implants as being FDA approved and short term the implant device may appear to be fully functional, but operationally it won’t last.  It’s like the difference between Toyo’s and Michelin tires.  There are FDA approved ‘knock-offs’, but you get what you pay for and while the initial cost may appear affordable, in the  long term you are going to get a better result with how it functions and how long it lasts if your provider installs Michelins.
The real concern for the patient is ‘where and how’ to find an affordable quality dental implant, and most likely the driving adjective is ‘affordable’.  This perception by the patient is that teeth are utilitarian to their daily life.  That’s really not the case, but to put the cost into perspective examine what goes into the cost of a dental implant.

4 Factors that Drive the Cost of Dental Implants:

The Material:
The traditional materials – prices of cobalt-chromium alloy and titanium are not the same.  Implants from cobalt-chromium (CC) alloy rods are cheaper than comparable titanium implants, but when it comes to zirconium dioxide, then cost of a dental implant may appear to be cost prohibitive to the patient.  However, depending on where the implant is being placed, you may end up with a less than satisfactory result with the less expensive CC implant.  You just won’t know it for a while.

The Size:
This variable is a significant factor.  The bigger the implant, the more material, the more it costs, but also the more it may do.  Also, special coatings applied to the surface of the implant, contributing to better osseo-integration with the bone will affect the cost of the dental implant.

The Manufacturer:
Different manufacturers put different prices on similar rods made from the same material. Some manufacturers include some kind of an extra charge in the dental implant’s price for their brand name. This is a lot more esoteric and therefore harder to explain.   It’s like trying to explain the difference between Polo and Hanes T-shirts.  However, some of these manufacturers provide lifetime guarantees and replacement for failure.

Finally, it may depend on where your dentist gets their implants from.  And this factor may be a function of how motivated your provider is in providing you with the best implant material for the least amount of cost to you.  Some of that may just end up being economies of scale by your provider.  Does your provider have contacts directly with manufactures in China, where the dental implant cost can be significantly reduced, while the indirect purchase of dental implants from U.S dental suppliers may ratchet up the price?

A lot of your choice and cost may depend on the choice of your provider.   It’s not to say the more you spend the better you will be.  Rather, a reputable practitioner, who is truly trained in the placement and restoration (and this may be two providers), may be a significant factor in what you end up with and what it costs.  Trust and reputation are the more difficult factors to define for the patient.

Whether you’re from Dunwoody or East Cobb, we are conveniently located in Sandy Springs. So contact us for a complimentary consult to see if you are a candidate for dental implants.

ZoAnna Scheinfeld, MS, DMD
290 Carpenter Drive, 200A
Atlanta (Sandy Springs), GA 30328
404-256-3620

Related articles for Dunwoody, Roswell, East Cobb, Brookhaven, Buckhead, Vinings and Alpharetta


·    Dentist Sandy Springs: Success Rates of Dental Implants (therightsmile.wordpress.com)

Wednesday, November 4, 2015

Top 5 Reasons We Are Out-Of-Network

And What That Means For You

I sat down earlier this week to write a piece with the title above, but very quickly realized there really aren’t that many reasons. The only reason we are out-of-network with most insurance plans comes down to one simple fact:

We treat World-Class patients and we want to offer world–class oral health care on our own terms, the way dentistry was intended to be provided.
Many people think that if a practice is not in-network with their insurance, they can’t seek services with that provider, but that is not correct. The truth is, in most cases, you can work with a dentist who is out-of-network.  All in-network means is that a dental provider has signed a contract with a health insurance company that allows the insurance company to dictate the value of the oral health care provided. Sadly, the current climate of dental insurance reimbursement often has providers being paid less than the cost of a personal training or Pilates session, a haircut, or full tank of gas. In addition to low reimbursements, many of the treatments are not covered even when you’re in-network.

A few things you need to understand about our oral health care:

  • We have extensive education and training, with one of the rarest specialties in the nation – a prosthodontist. We are the physicians of the mouth.
  • As with all patients, all oral health care is not created equal. Dentists do not receive a handbook on graduation day that tells us how to treat a specific diagnosis. Your treatment is customized, taking into consideration an individual’s age, gender, lifestyle, home and work demands, and even emotions related to their unique needs.
  • All dentists are not created equal. Our team has furthered their education by taking classes and additional training beyond what is required by our governing board.[1]  Some dentists look for every opportunity to expand their knowledge and stay current with studies and treatments. Good dentists know that there is not one treatment to help everyone and, while we may not be able to cure all, we have a network of additional resources that might.
In our Sandy Springs office we have chosen to stay true to our ideals of how oral health care should be delivered. We consider you world-class and treat you as such and refuse to upcharge, bait and switch or look for issues that comport with insurance filings rather than providing you with the trusted care you deserve and afford.  At the end of your treatment you will have peace of mind.

If we can be of service feel free to contact us.

ZoAnna Scheinfeld, MS, DMD
290 Carpenter Drive, 200A
Atlanta, GA 30328
404-256-3620

Related Articles:
Oral Health in America – Dentist Sandy Springs https://therightsmile.wordpress.com/wp-admin/post.php?post=4805&action=edit


[1] Dr. Novy Scheinfeld is an Emory Trained prosthodontist, one of 310 practicing in the U.S. according to Forbes Magazine.  Dr. ZoAnna Scheinfeld is engaged in a mini-implant residency at UAB.