Dental Work Cost

• An office visit can cost $50 -$350 or more, depending on what's included. A standard teeth cleaning can cost $70 -$200; dental X-rays can cost $20-$250 or more; and an exam by a dentist can be $50-$150 or more. Some or all of these costs may be covered by dental insurance.
• Filling a cavity can cost $50-$300 or more for a silver amalgam filling, and $90-$450 or more for a tooth-colored composite; insurance typically covers all or most of the cost of amalgam fillings, but only part of the composite filling cost. Dental crowns can cost $500-$1,500 or more per tooth for porcelain-fused-to-metal crowns; $600-$2,500 or more for gold or other metal alloys; and $800-$3,000 or more for all-porcelain. Crowns are not covered by insurance if they can be considered cosmetic. A root canal can cost $300-$1,500 for a front tooth; $400-$1,800 for a bicuspid; and $500-$2,000 for a molar Dental insurance might cover 40%-80%, but many plans have an annual maximum of $1,000-$2,000.
• Pulling a tooth can cost $75-$450 for a simple extraction (the tooth that is fully erupted from the gum), and $150-$650 or more for a surgical extraction (the tooth is broken off at the gum, or covered by gum or bone). Wisdom teeth removal can cost $75-$200 per tooth for a simple extraction; $225-$600 per impacted tooth; and $1,000-$3,000 or more to pull four impacted wisdom teeth in one appointment. Insurance typically covers 70%-80% of standard costs if the extraction is medically necessary.
• A dental bridge can cost $1,000-$3,500 for one or two false teeth attached to the adjacent teeth with metal wings; $1,500-$6,000 for a traditional three-unit bridge (two crowns with one false tooth) or $2,000-$12,000 for a four-unit bridge (two crowns, two false teeth). Dental insurance might cover up to 50% of the costs, but many plans have an annual limit of $1,000-$2,000. Removable partial dentures start at $300-$500, average about $700 -$1,800, and can cost $2,000-$4,000 for premium materials like gold. Full dentures cost $600-$1,000 for a basic set (upper and lower); $1,000-$3,000 for midrange-quality dentures; and $4,000-$8,000 for a premium set. If dentures are medically necessary, insurance might pay 15%-50% of the costs (up to the plan's annual limit).
• Cosmetic work is typically not covered by dental insurance. Teeth whitening can cost $50-$200 per treatment in a spa, salon or mall kiosk; $100-$500 for dentist-supervised at-home bleaching trays; and $300-$1,000 or more for in-office treatments. Dental veneers can cost $500-$1,300 per tooth; veneers on four front teeth can be $2,000-$4,500 or more. Tooth contouring (removing minute amounts of enamel) can cost $50-$500 per tooth. Cosmetic dental bonding (using tooth-colored resin to improve the look of a discolored or chipped tooth, or to fill gaps) can cost $100-$1,000 per tooth but averages $300-$600.
• Dental implants (a titanium post surgically inserted into the jawbone, and after the site heals a crown, bridge or denture is attached) start at about $1,000-$3,000, and costs increase depending on the type of replacement tooth or teeth, and whether additional procedures like extractions or a bone graft are needed. An implant topped by a crown can cost $1,500-$13,000 or more; two to six implants with a bridge can cost $3,500-$30,000 or more; and four to 12 implants with a set of denture plates can cost $7,000-$90,000 or more. Full-mouth reconstruction using a wide variety of dental procedures can cost $15,000-$40,000, but if extensive reconstruction is needed it can be $45,000-$80,000 or more. Dental insurance might cover some or all of the costs of specific procedures that are considered necessary for medical or structural reasons, like root canals, but not cosmetic procedures like veneers or teeth whitening.

• Ask if there will be any related costs. Some dentists include the cost of an initial exam, follow-up visits and X-rays in the quoted price for a specific procedure, but many do not.

• The National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research has tips for finding low-cost dental care[1] .

• WedMD lists things to consider when choosing a dentist[2] .
• If the patient has dental insurance, the insurance company will provide a list of approved dentists. Or get referrals to local dentists from the American Dental Association[3] ; the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentists[4] ; the American College of Prosthodontists[5] for a specialist in replacing teeth; the American Academy of Periodontology[6] for gum specialists; or the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons[7] .

1.  www.nidcr.nih.gov/oralhealth/popularpublications/findinglowcostdentalcare/
2.  www.webmd.com/oral-health/guide/finding-dentist
3.  www.mouthhealthy.org/en/find-a-dentist.aspx
4.  www.aacd.com/index.php?module=aacd.websiteforms&cmd=memberreferral
5.  www.gotoapro.org/find-a-prosthodontist/
6.  www.perio.org/?q=locator-advanced
7.  www.aaoms.org/findoms.php

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