This x-ray I got online in creative commons of a dental implant with a sinus lift. I am going through that process right now.

The tooth to the right with a post inside the tooth after a root canal is what failed and started the process. Because they had to pull it, I asked to be put to sleep, so if the tooth cracked even more and they had to dig out the parts, I wouldn’t even know what was going on.

Now the oral surgeon asks what you want to do after removing the tooth. Do you want a bridge where they grind down a tooth on either side and then put a tooth supported by those teeth, or can you have an implant? That is what the screw is in the middle.

I went with the implant plan. So to have the tooth pulled, put in a bone graft, and be put to sleep was around $1,200.

Four months later, I came back. They x-rayed and discovered there was not enough thickness of bone for an implant. They recommended a sinus lift. They put in more bone grafts, wait another four months, and then put in the implant. After another four months, they put in an Abutment, and a couple of weeks later, you go to your dentist to have a crown attached.

To get the sinus lift, the implant and Abutment were another $5,000. I still will have to see what the final cost of the crown will be, but I am thinking $1,500 – $1,800.

My cost has now totaled what is close to a Nikon D5. I spent $6,200.

While we all cringe at prices, I am still surprised at how much people often start at a photographer’s estimate.

Most of the dental implant costs are for labor and not the actual materials. I doubt seriously if the true cost of an implant, Abutment, and crown are more than $100 in raw materials. You are paying for the expertise of the medical professionals to craft it and put it safely into your mouth.

We know that if you cross the border to have medical work done, you can get it for a fraction of the cost due to the most expensive part of medicine–labor costs.

We spend money on our teeth as we do for two reasons. We are being able to chew our food and look good.

Photographers need to remind themselves that the costs to produce excellent quality work so that their clients or their products look good are like the medical profession. Sure we have expensive gear like doctors, but the most significant expense is often our labor.

The labor costs that you build into your prices determine the lifestyle you want to live. Price yourself to thrive rather than get by or, worse, lose money.