The Cost of Full-Arch Implants: Questions to Ask Before You Compare Quotes

Two quotes for replacing a full arch of teeth can describe different amounts of work, and the figures by themselves won't tell you which. This article is about the questions that make two quotes comparable, not about what the treatment is; for that, see the separate post on what full-arch implants are. No figures appear here.

Start with the shape of the treatment. The implant-supported dentures process usually requires multiple steps, and exact treatment depends on your specific situation (Cleveland Clinic).

What a quote may or may not cover

The steps below are a general description of the process, not any one practice's plan. They work as a checklist: for each one, ask whether the figure in front of you includes it.

Are extractions, bone grafting and a healing denture included?

Before a dentist can place implants, they'll need to extract any decayed or damaged teeth, and they'll also perform bone grafting in any areas where you've lost jawbone density. Your dentist will give you a healing denture to wear during this time (Cleveland Clinic).

Is the implant surgery itself in the figure?

At the placement stage, a surgeon — usually a periodontist or oral surgeon — will place the dental implants into your jawbone; generally, it takes about three to six months for the implants to integrate (fuse) with your jawbone (Cleveland Clinic).

Is the final denture — and the lab work behind it — included?

The impressions go to a dental lab so a technician can begin crafting your new dentures, and finally your dentist will attach your new custom denture to your implants (Cleveland Clinic).

Fixed or removable

There are both fixed and removable options. A removable one snaps on to dental implants in your jawbone. A fixed denture — sometimes called a hybrid denture — attaches permanently to dental implants in your jawbone: you can't remove it at home, but your dentist can remove it for maintenance when necessary. Which treatment is right for you depends on several factors, including the health of your jawbone, your medical history and your personal preferences (Cleveland Clinic).

The term All-on-4® refers to a specific type of fixed implant denture: a method that replaces an entire arch of missing teeth using just four dental implants (Cleveland Clinic).

Fixed and removable are not the same thing, so a figure for one tells you little about the other. With two quotes in hand, it is worth establishing which of the two each one describes.

Risks, and the upkeep that comes later

Implant-supported dentures carry some risks, though they're usually minimal, and possible complications include infection, nerve damage, injury to your mouth and sinus perforation — a hole in your sinus membrane (Cleveland Clinic).

For best results, you'll need to replace your overdenture — the denture that goes on top of your implants — every 15 to 20 years (Cleveland Clinic).

That replacement is far enough out that a quote may say nothing about it. Asking is the point: does the figure address a later replacement at all, or does it stop at the work being planned now?

Bringing the questions to a conversation

None of this produces a number, and this article doesn't try to. What it gives you is a way to read a quote: which steps it includes, whether it describes a fixed or a removable denture, and what it says about the years after.

On the payment side, we verify insurance before treatment and file claims, and our insurance and payment page gives a PPO list and mentions CareCredit and payment plans.

If you are taking these questions to an appointment, start with our first-visit page and our dental implants page. We're Dental Associates of Lodi, in Lodi, New Jersey.

Sources

• Cleveland Clinic. "Implant-Supported Dentures." Updated 2022-10-18. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/24303-implant-supported-dentures