Implants are a great alternative to dentures. The cost will really depend on what is going on with your mouth and oral health. Single tooth missing: If you are looking to replacing one tooth, the implant/abutment/crown should run between $3,000 - $6,000 depending on where you live and the relative skill of the dentist/specialist who will place them. Multiple adjacent teeth missing: Here you have alternatives ranging from one implant per missing tooth to using implant supported bridges - here costs can range from $4,500 to over $10,000 depending on a many factors. All teeth missing from one arch: Options here include placing one of several types of dentures on 4 - 6 implants.. Some options provide titanium bars that are fixed to the implants and on which the denture will fit (this makes for considerable chewing comfort). Some practices are beginning to offer a more economical choice using mini implants (first do some research on mini implants as they have not become widely accepted yet..) Or you can go all out and do multiple implant supported bridges. The cost for these options tends to be around $20,000 or more per arch.
There are lots of good answers to this question below and yes, generally speaking Invisalign treatment should run between $3,000 - $6,000. This price range can vary based on what part of the country you live (higher in New York, lower in some lower rent and cost of labor markets). It can also vary depending on case complexity. For example, Invisalign recently began to offer Express 5 treatment for extremely minor tooth movement and I would think that type of treatment should be less than $3,000. Please, keep in mind once you complete treatment, there may be additional fees involved - retainers, night guard, and bite adjustments which may or may not be included in the price that your dentist/orthodontist quoted. Also, teeth that have been misaligned over time tend to wear out unevenly. So, you may wish to check with your dentist for an estimate to do that type of work.
It should only be replaced if there is a legitimate reason to do so either aesthetically or functionally as determined by you and/or your dentist. Generally speaking, if the bonding was done properly, bite taken in consideration, habits such as clenching or grinding are under control, you should expect to receive a good 7-10 years or more of great results. Some patients can go even significantly longer than that.
Sorry to hear your symptoms are getting worse, Allie. It must be very frustrating to experience such pain even when you're not eating. Has your dentist checked your bite to see if one or both crowns are a touch high? Your teeth have already gone through trauma first when the old filings were removed and the teeth were prepared for a crown. Then, again when the permanent crowns were seated. If the crown(s) is a touch high, you are placing extra pressure on the teeth and traumatizing the nerve yet more. Also, has clenching/grinding been ruled out as a culprit (see above) only when you clench and grind the extra pressure on your new crowns may be greater. There are other possibilities that are less likely to be the cause - excessive cement around the crown, etc.. Otherwise, you may wish to check with an endodontist in your area for an evaluation.
Sorry to hear about the problems you are experiencing with one of the teeth. Placing a crown on a tooth can be a fairly traumatic experience for that tooth and could force an unplanned root canal procedure. In addition, it sounds like you had a lot of new veneers/crowns and your bite may be struggling to adjust. You are wise to look at all options before committing to a root canal. Check with your dentist to see if he evaluated your bite/occlusion in the area where you experiencing pain. Do you have a history of clenching/grinding (bruxism) at night? Even if you do not, with so many new teeth, your musculature may be trying to adjust to your new bite and you might be clenching/grinding. If you are not wearing the correct type of night guard for your problem, your dentist may be able to fit you with a temporary anterior style guard to rule out bruxism as a culprit. There are other factors at play here. I am assuming the tooth in question did not have sensitivity/pain prior to receiving a crown. Is the pain you are experiencing getting better/worse/stable? What is the level of discomfort you are experiencing?Ultimately, you and your dentist know your case/history best. If you feel comfortable that your dentist has addressed all your questions and you are both comfortable that a root canal is the only option remaining, then that might be the price you have to pay. Otherwise, you may wish to seek a second opinion from another dentist.
