The Ihde Method

What affects the cost of Ihde implants?

The cost items differ from conventional implants, so comparing two quotes by their totals is misleading

The cost of this protocol is not made up of the same items as conventional implants. On the one hand, bone grafting does not come into it at all in most cases; on the other, the number of implants is usually kept higher. That is why putting two quotes side by side and looking only at the figures is misleading. On this page we go through the items one at a time, so you can see what each figure covers. We do not give prices; we explain how to read them.

Short answer

In this protocol, the cost is made up of these items: the number of implants and jaws, the final fixed teeth fitted on day three and the laboratory work, any extractions and infection treatment, imaging, anaesthetic or sedation, and check-ups. It differs from conventional implants in two ways: bone grafting is not needed in most cases, but the number of implants is usually kept higher so the load is shared.

What pushes the cost down: Bone grafting is not needed in most cases
What pushes the cost up: The number of implants is usually higher
Largest item: Usually the bridgework and laboratory work
Most often overlooked: Travel, accommodation and days off work

Medically reviewed by Bilge Ilgın, Dentist · ImplantologyLast reviewed 2026-09-08

Why the cost items are different

With conventional implants, if there is not enough bone, bone has to be added first: graft material, an extra surgical appointment and months of healing. Together these push the total up considerably and stretch the treatment out to a year. In plans where the implants anchor in the deep layer of bone that does not resorb, this item does not arise at all in most cases. This is where the biggest cost difference between the two approaches lies.

On the other hand, this protocol usually uses a higher number of implants. The reason is not cost-cutting but engineering: the implants are thinner and the design is based on load sharing, so more supports are added to reduce the share of the load each one carries. It is a decision that makes the materials item larger but strengthens the supporting structure. Lowering the number to fit a budget means paying for today's discount by having the work redone a few years later.

The third difference is in time, and it never shows on a quote. When treatment is spread over months, you travel back and forth four or five times; if you are coming from another city or from abroad, every trip adds travel, accommodation and days off work. When the clinical process fits into a few days, these costs shrink to a single trip. If you are travelling from another city, this difference can be bigger than the gap between the quotes.

The fourth is the bridgework, which is the largest item in most plans. Bridges in different materials can be made on the same number of implants, and the price gap between them can be bigger than the implant item itself. This item is the final fixed teeth themselves, fixed to the implants on day three; no second bridge is made later to replace them. This is the first line to look at when you read a quote.

The fifth is labour, which appears as a single line on the bill but determines most of the result: who reviews the CBCT scan and how thoroughly, how much time goes into planning, and how much time is given to getting the bite right on the day the teeth are fitted. In this protocol a planning error cannot be undone, so this is the item that should not be cut.

Finally, whether the clinic has its own laboratory. Making the teeth in-house both makes the three-day timetable possible and removes the cost of a middleman. It is one of the genuine factors that bring the price down without reducing what is included, and it is worth asking about when you compare quotes.

When reading a quote

The points below are the questions to ask specifically about this protocol. The general rules for reading a quote are on a separate page.

The tooth can be saved

Quotes that state how many implants are plannedIn this protocol, the number is decisive. How many implants, in which jaw and why that number: all three need to be in writing. A quote that gives no number cannot be compared.
Quotes that describe the final teeth fitted on day threeIn this protocol, the fixed teeth fitted on day three are the final teeth; no other bridge is made later to replace them. The quote should state clearly what these teeth are made of, how many teeth they include and the laboratory work involved.
Quotes that give a reason why no bone grafting is neededWhat takes this item out of the plan is the layer of bone the implants anchor in. The reason is visible on the CBCT scan and can be shown to you.
Quotes that schedule the check-upsThis is critical if you are travelling from far away. Treatment is completed with the final teeth on day three; where and how often the follow-up check-ups after that will take place under the clinic's follow-up plan, and whether a night guard is planned, should all be in writing.

Saving it is unlikely to hold

A firm price given before anyone has seen a CBCT scanWhich layer of bone to use and how many implants are needed are decided after the scan. Any figure given before then is an estimate; a quote that claims to be binding has made a promise about a jaw that nobody has looked at yet.
Quotes that only give a price per implantBecause the number of implants is high in this protocol, comparing on the price per implant is especially misleading. The comparison should be based on the finished work.
Quotes that treat the number of implants as negotiableThe number of supports is what gives the supporting structure its strength. A discount taken here brings the price down today and piles the load onto the remaining implants. The places to negotiate are the bridge material or the payment plan.
Quotes that do not say what is includedThis is the most common cause of disputes. When a 'that was not included' conversation comes up in the middle of treatment, you have no options left; walking away from treatment that has already started costs more than starting from the beginning.

How the right figure is reached

A price is not a list; it is the result of a plan. In this protocol, the order is as follows:

1
CBCT scan
The height, width and density of the bone are measured, and this is where the layer of bone to use and the number of implants needed are decided. The two biggest variables in the price come from this scan.
2
Assessing the current state of your mouth
Are there teeth to extract, is there an active infection, and will any remaining teeth be used as supports? These are separate items and need to be written down from the start.
3
Designing the supporting structure
How many implants, where they go and where the bridge will end. The position of the implants follows from the bridge design, not the other way round. When this order is reversed, the cost grows later on.
4
Discussing the bridge material
The material of the final teeth to be fitted on day three. If the budget needs discussing, this is the right place to do it: bridges in different materials can be made on the same supporting structure.
5
Itemising the costs in writing
Surgery, implants, the final fixed teeth and laboratory work, imaging, anaesthetic, check-ups. Seeing each one separately makes quotes easier to compare and prevents surprises later.
6
Being told up front what could change
If the expected anchorage cannot be achieved, that area is not loaded and fitting the teeth is postponed. This possibility, and its effect on the cost, needs to be written down from the start.

The right places to cut back if your budget is limited

Budget is a real constraint. If you do need to cut back, some items are the right ones to cut.

Bridge material

Bridges in different materials can be made on the same supporting structure. They differ in appearance and in how they wear, but the safety of the structure stays the same. This is the first thing to discuss.

Starting with one jaw

Treating the problem jaw rather than both jaws at once can be a sensible way to spread the cost. Whether this suits your bite should be discussed with your dentist; it is not possible in every mouth.

Payment plan

Spreading the payments without changing the total gives you breathing space without reducing what is included. It is a more effective question than asking for a discount.

Not to be cut: the number of implants

This is the number of supports in the supporting structure. Load sharing is the foundation of the design in this protocol, so any cut here directly weakens the structure.

Not to be cut: check-ups

The annual check-up is the cheapest part of the treatment and the one with the highest return. Loosening caught early is a short procedure; the same loosening caught late means removing broken parts.

Pricing pitfalls specific to this protocol

These are different from the general pitfalls of implant pricing; they come directly from the way this protocol is built.

Not having the material of the final teeth in writing

In this protocol, the teeth fitted on day three are the final teeth: this is the bridge you will use for years. If the quote does not state their material and scope, you cannot tell whether two figures cover the same work. This is the most common dispute, and the easiest to prevent.

Treating the number of implants as a bargaining chip

In a system built on load sharing, reducing the number of supports takes back today's discount in the form of screw loosening and broken bridgework. It is not a saving, only a postponement.

Being told no graft is needed without being given a reason

Not needing bone grafting is a genuine advantage of this approach, but the reason should be visible on the CBCT scan. A promise made without showing you the images is a promise that could change later.

Leaving travel and accommodation out of the sums

It never appears on the quote, but it still comes out of your pocket. If you are coming from another city, budget for 3 days (72 hours) in Istanbul: treatment is completed with the final teeth on day three, and you can travel home at the end of that day. Plan your travel, accommodation and time off work around that timetable.

After you receive a quote

There are a few things to do before you decide, and none of them costs anything.

Ask for the quote in writing
Get the items, the scope, the timescale and the guarantee in writing. A written quote can be compared and is binding; a verbal one is neither.
Compare like for like
Put the two quotes side by side: the number of implants, the final fixed teeth and their material, check-ups, and whether a graft is needed. If a quote is missing an item, add the cost of that item to its figure, then compare.
Add in the cost of travel
How many trips you will make, how many nights of accommodation and how many days off work. This is where the real difference in cost between a plan spread over months and one that fits into a few days becomes clear.
Pin down the check-up schedule
The follow-up check-ups after your final teeth are fitted on day three, and a night guard if one is planned: when, where and under which item, according to the clinic's follow-up plan. Leaving this conversation until after the day your teeth are fitted often leads to check-ups slipping, especially if you live far away.

Message us right away if

There is an item on your quote you do not understand. Asking is your right, and for a good clinic it is a routine question. The item a clinic avoids explaining is often the one that most needs explaining.
You want to find out whether you need a graft. Send us your panoramic X-ray or CBCT scan. Whether the implants can anchor in the deep layer of bone shows on the images, and that is the single piece of information that changes the cost the most.
Your plan changes during treatment. If the expected anchorage cannot be achieved, fitting the teeth may be postponed. Ask for the new situation and its effect on the cost to be shared with you in writing.
You feel under pressure to decide today. An implant decision rests on a CBCT scan and an examination, not on a promotion deadline. The only situation that cannot wait is an active infection, and the answer to that is not an implant either, but treating the infection first.

Item by item

We deliberately give no figures on this page: the right figure only emerges after a CBCT scan and an examination, and it is specific to that mouth. Each of the items below should appear separately on a quote.

Number of implants and number of jaws: In this protocol, the number is set according to load sharing and is usually higher than in conventional plans. The number should be in writing, together with the reason for it.
Final fixed teeth and laboratory work: The final teeth fixed to the implants on day three; no second bridge is made later to replace them. The largest part of the total in most plans. Their material and how many try-ins there will be should be discussed at the outset.
Night guard: It is not part of every plan. Whether it is part of yours, when it will be fitted and whether it is included in the price should be stated separately on the quote.
Extractions, infection treatment and any additional procedures: If a tooth needs to come out in the same session, or there is an infection that has to be treated first, that is a separate item. The CBCT scan shows this from the start.
Imaging, anaesthetic and sedation: The CBCT scan and local anaesthetic are standard; sedation is optional and priced separately. Whether you want it should be discussed at the quote stage.
Check-ups, maintenance and guarantee: How many check-ups are included, what the guarantee covers and under what conditions it applies. If you are travelling from far away, having all three in writing matters even more.

Frequently asked questions

Is this method more expensive than conventional implants?

There is no single answer, because the cost items are different. With the conventional route, the total rises considerably if bone grafting is needed; if it is not, the two routes come closer together. This protocol, however, usually uses a higher number of implants. Compare on the finished work, item by item.

Why is the number of implants higher?

The implants are thinner, and load sharing is the foundation of the design. More supports are added to reduce the share of the load each one carries. This makes the materials item larger, but it strengthens the supporting structure and means that losing a single implant does not bring the whole system to a halt.

Are the permanent teeth included in the price?

With us, the teeth fixed to the implants on day three are already the final teeth; no second bridge is made months later to replace them. The scope, including what these teeth are made of, is given in writing before treatment begins. If you are getting quotes from other clinics, ask in writing what is included.

Why don't you publish prices online?

Because any figure we published would not match a real patient. How many implants are needed, whether there will be extractions and what the bridgework will be vary enormously from one mouth to the next. Publishing a single figure would mean giving half the people who read it the wrong answer.

How can I tell whether I will need bone grafting?

You can see it on the CBCT scan. The images show where the cortical and basal bone that does not resorb lies and how thick it is. This can be shown to you, and asking to see it is a perfectly normal request.

How do I compare this with prices in other countries?

By comparing like for like and factoring in travel. Also add the cost of coming back if a problem arises: because only a limited number of clinics use this protocol, where your follow-up takes place can matter more than the price.

Is a payment plan available?

It is something that can be discussed at your examination, and it is the right way to spread the cost without reducing what is included. It is always better to negotiate over spreading the payments than to cut back on the supporting structure, in other words the number of implants.

Sources

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Next step

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