Braces to Get “Affordable” Dental Implants?

I spent a lot of time researching dentists who listed they did affordable dental implants. I wanted quality implants that were full-sized, a dentist with experience, and someone who’d let me start with four implants and pay them out. It took a while. I finally found the one I wanted. However, when I went in for my consultation, he told me he can’t place them until I get braces, because they have to be placed at a 90-degree angle and none of my teeth fit this. Then he said, he’d be happy to provide me with braces or Invisalign and then we could talk about implants. I just can’t afford to do both. I’ve lived with my teeth being a bit “protrudy” my whole life. I can continue to do so, but I can’t live without teeth. I have so many missing it’s too embarrassing to go out anywhere. Do you have any recommendations?

Bethany

Dear Bethany,

illustration of all-on-four dental implants

My first suggestion is for you to get a second opinion from another implant dentist. Unless I’m missing something, this dentist has completely missed the boat. Though there is a chance there was a clinical reason for him insisting on orthodontics, nothing you mentioned seemed to indicate that. I know money is a concern. Fortunately, there are dentists who offer free second opinions.

He’s wrong that dental implants must always be placed at a 90-degree angle. Look at the picture above. This is known as an all-on-four dental implant procedure. Generally, it’s used for people who’ve already lost a lot of bone structure in their jaw who don’t want to do bone grafting to get traditional dental implants.

But, as you can see, there is definitely at least one implant placed at an angle.

Cheap versus Affordable Dental Implants

You were wise and had specific things you were looking for even though you needed something affordable. Unfortunately, too many people seem to just Google “affordable dental implants“, then go with the lowest bidder. This can cause severe problems. Cheap implants come loose. Inexperienced implant dentists can cause infections. Both of those lead to dental implant failure.

If that happens you’ve paid all that money and have to start over. To add insult to injury, you’ll have to do bone grafting in order to re-do the procedure. Now you’re out more than double and that’s only if the infection didn’t cause severe problems which had their own set of medical costs.

It’s much better if you go with a quality dentist and ask for payment plans which can work within your budget. If they don’t have in-house payment plans, it’s very likely they’re willing to work through Care Credit.

If it turns out after your second opinion, that yes, you do have to have braces for some reason, Care Credit can work for that as well. In the meantime, you can have removable partial dentures placed so you’re not embarrassed to go out.

This blog is brought to you by Baton Rouge Dentist Dr. Steven Collins.