New report concludes that dental implants can save costs and improve quality of life
Systematic review of 14 studies published between 2000 and 2010 concludes that, compared with traditional tooth replacement options, dental implant solutions:
- were generally cost-saving or cost-effective for single-tooth replacement,
- represented a cost-effective option for the replacement of multiple teeth over the long term and led to better improvements in oral-health-related quality of life
Basel: A report published as the lead article in the International Journal of Oral & Maxillofacial Implants shows that dental implants offer a cost-effective alternative to traditional treatments for tooth replacement.
The report, which is also cited on PubMed, the US National Library of Medicine located at the National Institutes of Health (www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23527335), is based on a systematic review of all available studies published in English between 2000 and 2010 relating to the cost-effectiveness of various tooth-replacement options. In total, 14 studies on long-term costs were included in the final review, which yielded the following conclusions:
For single-tooth replacement, implant-based solutions were generally cost-saving or cost-effective in comparison with traditional tooth-borne prostheses (bridges).
For patients with full dentures, implant-borne solutions were associated with higher initial costs than traditional (non-fixed) dentures. However, the consensus of most studies was that, over the long term, dental implants represent a cost-effective treatment option. Additionally, patient acceptance, satisfaction, and willingness to pay for dental implants were high, particularly in elderly edentulous patients. A trend toward improved overall improved oral-health-related quality of life and decreased health care costs was also reported.
A key objective of this review was to conduct an extensive literature search and to consolidate all the relevant findings into one document that could serve as a single point of reference for healthcare professionals and patients. The fact that it has been published by a leading peer-reviewed scientific journal endorses the quality of the authors’ research.
For details please consult the published article: Vogel R, Smith-Palmer J, Valentine W. Evaluating the Health Economic Implications and Cost-Effectiveness of Dental Implants: A Literature Review. Int J Oral Maxillofac Implants 2013;28:343–356. doi: 10.11607/jomi.2921.