How Much Do Dental Implants Cost in Charleston, SC?

If you're missing a tooth, or you've been told one needs to come out, the price of a dental implant is usually your first question. There isn't one number that fits every patient in Charleston, SC. The cost depends on how many teeth you're replacing, whether your jawbone needs support first, and what goes on top of the implant. Below you'll find what shapes the number, how insurance and payment work at Tatum Dentistry, and how we plan implant care with you.

How much do dental implants cost in Charleston, SC?

The cost of dental implants depends on your mouth: how many teeth are missing, the health of the bone and gums around them, and whether you need a single crown, a bridge or a denture on top. That's why an honest answer starts with an exam.

Your first visit with us is two hours long. You get a digital scan of your teeth and a 3D image so we can look at your airway and bite. Then we put it on the screen and talk it through together. You see exactly what we see, share what's bothering you, and decide with us what to do and what can wait.

What makes one implant plan cost more than another?

A few things change the size of the plan. A dental implant is a small post placed in the jawbone. Over time it fuses with the bone and then supports a replacement tooth, so the bone and gums around it need to be ready.

• How many teeth you're replacing. One implant with a crown is a smaller plan than replacing several teeth, and implants can also support a bridge or a denture.
• Bone support. If the jawbone isn't thick enough or is too soft, a bone graft may be needed before the implant can be placed.
• Time and stages. Implant treatment usually happens in stages, with healing time in between, so it often stretches over several months.
• Your overall health. Smoking and health conditions that affect how bone heals can change whether implants are a good fit, so they're part of the conversation.
• What goes on top. A single crown, a bridge and an implant-supported denture are different pieces of work.

Once an implant is in place, caring for it looks a lot like caring for natural teeth: brush, floss and keep up with your regular checkups.

Does insurance pay for dental implants at a fee-for-service office?

What your plan pays toward implant treatment depends on your plan, and you're welcome here if you have dental insurance. Tatum Dentistry is a fee-for-service practice, which means we aren't in any insurance network. Our recommendations are based on what your mouth and body need.

Even though we're out of network, we'll take care of submitting your claim to your insurance for you. Most PPO patients receive partial reimbursement. Our finances and insurance page explains how it works.

How can you pay for dental implants over time?

You can apply for CareCredit, which offers monthly payment plans with promotional financing. We also accept cash, check, Venmo, Zelle, all major credit cards, and Health Savings Accounts and Flexible Spending Accounts.

We don't believe cost should be the reason you wait on care that matters. If a treatment plan feels like a stretch, talk to us. We can almost always find a way to make it work.

What if you're nervous about dental work?

You can have help settling in. If laughing gas helps you relax, you can have nitrous oxide for any procedure at our office, including a routine cleaning. For patients who need a little more, we can prescribe a mild oral sedative to take beforehand.

Dental anxiety is real, and we'll figure out what works for you. Our post on dental anxiety in adults has small steps that make appointments easier.

Why do Charleston patients choose Tatum Dentistry for dental implants?

Dr. Vicki Tatum founded our practice in 1990, and dental implants and full mouth rehabilitation are among her focus areas. She earned her dental degree at the Medical University of South Carolina and completed a general practice residency at Emory University, where she fell in love with the detail and craft of restorative work, the dentistry of rebuilding and replacing teeth.

Dr. Tatum is her own worst critic, and she'll tell you that with a laugh. She still checks the margins, the edges where a crown meets the tooth, on crowns she placed twenty and twenty-five years ago, and she's proud when they've held up the way she meant them to. That's the standard the rest of our practice runs on, too.

Our team has been with us for decades, and Dr. Tatum has practiced in the same spot in the Charleston Medical District for over 30 years. The faces greeting you on your first visit will be the same faces greeting you on your tenth. We're on Courtenay Drive near MUSC, with easy access from West Ashley, Mount Pleasant, North Charleston and the Downtown Peninsula.

You can learn more about how we replace and rebuild teeth on our restorative dentistry page, or read Are You a Candidate for Dental Implants? for the factors that shape whether implants are right for you. For general background, the American Dental Association's MouthHealthy guide to implants and Mayo Clinic's overview of dental implant surgery are good places to start.

Want to know what implant treatment would look like for your smile? Call our Charleston dental office at 843-577-6453 or contact us to schedule your first visit. We keep select Saturday hours, too.

Published by Tatum Dentistry.