Can any one advise me on dental implants?

[GoldSpot]

I have been told by my dentist that I need two dental implants. The teeth are next to each other - one is a tooth that has had an infection following failed root canal and the other is a baby tooth that could fall out at any point.

I am a bit overwhelmed by the decision. How do I know which dentist to go for? What do I need to look for? The costs seem to vary wildly from £1000-2700 per implant. I am in the South East and have looked at some local dentists which all seem to be in the region of £2700. I have also looked at the Brighton Implant Centre which seems to come in at around £1000. Obviously, the latter price is much more appealing - but I am wondering why there is such a massive price difference?

Any guidance and past experiences would be much appreciated!

Bumping as I know someone who would also be interested

Not sure how much help I can be, OP, but I had one about 10 years ago. My own dentist did it, not an implant centre. It cost in the region of £1500 and I'm in London.

I assume prices have risen since then but I can't advise on the disparity you've found - it does seem pretty extreme! Hopefully others will be along to share experiences and costs. In terms of the actual procedure, it was absolutely hassle-free, I had no problems and the implant is still doing fine.

Possibly a specialist implant centre can keep prices lower if that's all they do, and they do lots of them? But that would just be my guess, I'm afraid.

I would go with the specialist implant centre as they are going to be much better at it than a general dentist who only does a few a year, and they will have all the best equipment.
Going out of London is usually a good bet too, because higher rents mean higher prices, without any changes in quality.

I would suggest a consultation with a few places - I'm sure they offer this free - and see who you like. Ask to see before and after photos and long term success rates.

Thanks Halsall - yes, it is a huge difference in pricing! It's reassuring to hear that the procedure was relatively straightforward - after a couple of root canals, I feel quite anxious about getting in the dentist's chair again.

Elfride - that sounds like excellent advice and a very good point about rents affecting prices. I'm going to set the ball rolling and make an appointment for a consultation at the Brighton Implant place.

I was on a thread that discussed the actual implant process and pain. I'll try and find it. I'm in France but I think mine was about 1200€.

There's a lot that goes into getting implants. Being in the industry myself it's not that straight forward. You need to get stents done, crowns made, there needs to be enough bone for the actual implant to sit it, then there's healing abutments, temporary crowns etc. all these cost money and there's normally a 35% markup on each item which why it lands up being so expensive. Not to mention x-rays, milling machines, labour etc.

I will PM you the details of a good friend of mine located in South Hampton who is very reasonable in price and will do the best for you.

Thanks Wally

Crikey Timmy - Sounds like a lot. Really not looking forward to the treatment or shelling out.

I wouldn't be too worried, honestly, GoldSpot. I can truthfully say mine was absolutely pain-free and not scary at all. I didn't need any extra bone (they do need to check this beforehand with a scan, as timmy says) and the procedure was straightforward. It took a few appointments as you have to let the gum heal after the initial implant work, and then go back for the crown bit a couple of times, but it really wasn't a hassle.