Dental Procedure Costs
Dental fees can vary considerably by dentist, by city and by region. Typically, the larger the metropolitan area, the higher the average fee. For example, in cities with populations exceeding one million, a general practitioner’s fees, on average, will be in the top quartile of the national average. For routine oral exams, the price difference between a smaller city or town and a larger metropolitan area is slight, probably less than twenty dollars. On the other hand, for more expensive procedures, such as a crown or orthodontics, the difference can be more than a hundred dollars per crown.
Even within a city, dental fees can vary substantially from professional to professional. Like most professional services, dental services are not a commodity that is the same no matter where you buy it. There are several factors that cause fees to vary among dentists, including the practitioner’s level of training, education and experience, their ability to take on new patients, their specialization and whether or not dental insurance is involved. Some dentists also participate in member-only dental plan programs that offer reduced rates (link to dental plan programs).
The fees schedule below is based on national averages for typical procedures in larger metropolitan areas. They are only approximations and should not be relied upon for a precise estimate. In estimating your likely actual costs, you should take into account that these fees do not reflect the cost of an anesthesia (to deaden the pain), which is involved in a majority of procedures and can add approximately another $100 to the procedure cost. Similarly, even routine oral exams are often accompanied by X-rays, and with procedures involving dental restoration there will be dental lab fees that will be added to the cost. Laboratory costs can be substantial. For example, dental lab fees for crowns can range from a couple hundred dollars (per tooth) to almost one thousand dollars.
The best way to get an accurate estimate of a more complicated procedure is to request an estimate from the dentist. If you are considering an expensive procedure, it probably would be a good idea to get more than one estimate.
How much is that dental procedure going to cost you? Whether you are wondering how much your child’s braces will cost or just curious about the cost of porcelain veneers, we have the answer. Check out the categories below to find the procedure you are interested in.
Cost Estimates for General Practitioner
| Cleaning/Prevention | |
|---|---|
| Adult | $93 |
| Child | $70 |
| Sealant (per tooth) | $93 |
| Flouride Application | $39 |
| Crowns | |
| Temporary | $317 |
| Porcelain | $1,152 |
| Stainless Steel | $270 |
| Dentures | |
| Fixed | $2,680 |
| Removable (upper/lower | $1,633 |
| Replace/repair denture (per tooth) | $182 |
| Extractions | |
| Simple | $167 |
| Surgical | $273 |
| Fillings | |
| One surface | $135 |
| Three surfaces | $204 |
| Night guard | $553 |
| Root Canals | |
| Anterior | $745 |
| Molar | $1,040 |
| Oral Exam | |
| Simple | $49 |
| Comprehensive | $83 |
| X-Rays (complete series) | $134 |
Best Dentist Guide was founded with one driving goal, to provide accurate and timely information about the costs associated with various dental procedures. In the past it has been difficult to obtain this information from dentists and dental insurance companies. One was left to their own devices, attempting to collect this information from family and friends who may have undergone a similar procedure. This is no longer the case. We at Best Dentist Guide feel that this cost information should be freely available to the public. Therefore we work vigorously to collect and disseminate this pricing data from patients and dentists across the country.
From the beginning we sought out to create a resource that placed he user first. Through many iterations and redesigns we implemented user ideas and requests to make bestdentistguide.com the easiest site on the web for users to navigate and gather information about the cost of cosmetic dentistry, tooth replacements and dental surgery.
