According to the National Institute of Health, adults between the ages of 20 and 64 have an average of three decayed or missing teeth, and a total of 5 percent of adults in this category have no teeth at all. People considering getting dental implants to replace their missing teeth may wonder if it's possible to get them all done at the same time. It depends on a couple of factors.

Your Jaw Bone Health

There are several factors that influence the successful integration of dental implants and your bone health is one of the most important ones. Whether the cosmetic dentist will be able to place all the dental implants on one day will depend on how healthy your jaw bone is in the areas where you're missing teeth. If the bone is thin in some places, you'll have to wait until it can be rebuilt before the implants can be installed in those spaces, which means it may be weeks or months between placements.

On the other hand, if your jawbone is healthy in all areas and you don't have any other oral health problems (e.g. periodontal disease) the cosmetic dentist can place all of the implants on the same day.

Be aware, though, that it may be more challenging to get through the healing period. It can take three to six months for the implant to fully integrate with the jaw bone. During that time, you must be careful not to put too much pressure on the implants; otherwise, they may break or take longer to integrate. If you have implants on both sides of your mouth, you may have to make significant adjustments to your diet (e.g. eat soft foods only) to avoid damaging the implants.

Your Financial Health

Another thing you need to consider about placing multiple implants all at once is whether you can afford to do so. Dental implants can cost $3,000 to $4,500 per tooth, and health or dental insurance plans typically don't pay for these appliances (or contribute very little if they do). That means you'll need to pay out of pocket for most or all the cost of the implants.

If you don't have the money, there are a few things you can do to make the procedure more affordable. You can ask the cosmetic dentist about a discount for getting multiple implants at once. Since the cost of installing them may be lessened for the dentist, he or she may be willing to pass some of that savings onto you. Another option is to see if you qualify for medical credit, which will let you pay the total cost of the procedure over time.

For more information about getting multiple dental implants at the same time, contact a cosmetic dentist, such as at The Center For Oral & Facial Surgery at Anthem, for assistance.