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Step 1
Know what a dental implant is and what it's not. Implants are basically man-made, titanium roots and are an excellent way to replace missing teeth. They are not "real" teeth, nor are they transplanted into your mouth from another person's (donor) mouth.
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Step 2
Check and recheck your dentist's credentials and experience with implants. Statistics have shown dental implants have a 95% success rate, but that rate is greatly affected by the skill of the dentist performing the procedure. While most dentists can perform implant surgery, it's best to acquire the services of an oral surgeon, though their fee may be substantially higher than that of a general dentist.
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Step 3
Determine cost. Use the resources provided below to check what's common. According to CostHelper, the average fee for a basic implant is around $1,250 to $3,000 each, not including the potential need and additional cost for bone or gum restoration.
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Step 4
Consider the time required for the implant, from start to finish. The process of the implant bonding to the jawbone takes from 3 to 6 months.
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Step 5
Research as much information as possible about dental implants and check out more than one dentist who performs them. Ask around among family, friends and co-workers to see if anyone has related experiences.
