{"id":19932,"date":"2022-10-20T15:51:29","date_gmt":"2022-10-20T20:51:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/?p=19932"},"modified":"2023-03-06T15:33:40","modified_gmt":"2023-03-06T20:33:40","slug":"how-much-does-wisdom-teeth-removal-cost","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/guides\/how-much-does-wisdom-teeth-removal-cost\/","title":{"rendered":"How Much Does Wisdom Teeth Removal Cost?"},"content":{"rendered":"

If you\u2019ve been told to have your wisdom teeth removed, you may find yourself wondering what exactly that entails. How many teeth do you need to remove? How much will it cost? Will you need to be sedated, or will local anesthesia be sufficient for pain management?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

We spoke to dental surgeon <\/span>Dr. Thomas Salinas<\/span><\/a>, department chair of dental specialties at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, so you can make an informed decision about your needs.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Do I need to have my wisdom teeth removed?<\/h3>\n

Third molars, colloquially known as wisdom teeth, typically develop around early adulthood at the back of your mouth.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

If you\u2019re one of the lucky adults with healthy, well-spaced third molars that are easy to clean and care for, removal may not be necessary. But for many adults, if your jaws are too small to accommodate these large back molars, wisdom teeth can become a source of infection and other dental issues. Your dentist may recommend preemptively removing these teeth to avoid future complications.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

General dentists are trained and qualified to remove wisdom teeth. If your extraction may be challenging or if you want to be completely sedated for the procedure, your dentist may refer you to an oral and maxillofacial surgeon.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

How much does wisdom tooth removal cost?<\/h3>\n

Wisdom teeth extraction costs can vary greatly on several factors, including where you live, the condition and placement of your teeth and your insurance coverage or lack thereof.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

As a general rule, teeth that have fully erupted are easiest to extract and therefore cost less to remove. A wisdom tooth that doesn\u2019t fully erupt, or emerge from your gum, remains partially or entirely buried below the surface of your gum line. This is known as impaction, and there are several degrees of severity. Different types of impaction also carry varying price tags due to the complexity of the procedure. To remove an impacted tooth, a provider has to create an incision in the gum line to get to the tooth.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

A soft-tissue impaction means that your wisdom tooth has emerged from the jawbone but is still below the surface of your gum. A partial or full bony impaction means that the tooth itself is still partially or entirely enclosed within the jawbone, requiring a more invasive extraction process.<\/span><\/p>\n

Challenging extractions may require the services of an oral and maxillofacial surgeon, which may cost more than having the procedure done by a general dentist. And depending on the complexity of the procedure, your dental professional may recommend general sedation, which typically costs more than a local anesthetic.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Here\u2019s what you can expect to pay per wisdom tooth for the following procedures before factoring insurance coverage:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Procedure<\/b><\/th>\nCost<\/b><\/th>\n<\/tr>\n
Simple extraction: Fully erupted wisdom tooth<\/span><\/th>\n$70 to $200, including local anesthesia<\/span><\/th>\n<\/tr>\n
Surgical extraction: Tooth with soft tissue impaction<\/span><\/th>\n$225 to $850, including local anesthesia, possible stitches (avg. $350)<\/span><\/th>\n<\/tr>\n
Surgical extraction: Tooth with partial bony impaction<\/span><\/th>\n$300 to $900, including local anesthesia, possible stitches (avg. $450)<\/span><\/th>\n<\/tr>\n
Surgical extraction: Tooth with full bony impaction<\/span><\/th>\n$350 to $1,100, including local anesthesia, possible stitches (avg. $550)<\/span><\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<\/table>\n

Credit: <\/span>CostHelper.com,<\/span><\/a> DirectBenefits.com<\/span><\/a>, <\/span>GoodRx.com<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

\n

What other costs should I know about?<\/h3>\n

You may need an X-ray or a CT scan to determine the placement of your wisdom teeth, which can be a separate line item on your dental bill. You may also incur separate exam fees that are not included in any of the above costs.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

If you get anxious about medical procedures, nitrous oxide for relaxation can add $40 to $90 to your bill. General sedation or anesthesia can cost an additional $100 to $800, if your procedure is more complex or if you\u2019d prefer to be unconscious during the removal. Ask your dentist or oral surgeon about these costs before you proceed, and double-check with your insurance provider so you know which expenses must be partially or fully paid out of pocket.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Will dental insurance cover the cost of wisdom teeth removal?<\/h3>\n

Your dental insurance provider may cover some of the cost of procedures that are considered medically necessary, but most plans only cover 15 percent to 80 percent of your total bill.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

You may also find that your insurance coverage will only pay up to an annual maximum of $1,000 or $1,500. To get creative, you might have one or two of your teeth removed toward the end of one calendar year and the rest removed the following year to best utilize your annual maximum.<\/span><\/p>\n

How can I pay for my wisdom teeth removal?<\/h3>\n

Although it is relatively common practice to extract wisdom teeth as a preventive measure, you may not need to have all of yours removed. Keeping healthy teeth intact minimizes both your recovery process and the damage to your wallet, so ask your dentist if any of your wisdom teeth can be left alone. If you do need more than one tooth removed, you may be able to negotiate a discounted rate with your dentist or oral surgeon for extracting several teeth in a single procedure.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

If you have a health savings plan such as a flexible savings account (FSA), health savings account (HSA) or health reimbursement arrangement (HRA), you can pay for your procedure using tax-exempt dollars. <\/span>If finances are a burden, consider finding a dental school or a dental hygiene school in your area where students provide low-cost services for training purposes under the close supervision of experienced educators. A local community health center may also be able to offer sliding-scale services based on your income.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Need a dentist? Find one on Zocdoc<\/a>.<\/h1>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Consider multiple factors. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":89,"featured_media":19933,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[227],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-19932","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-guides","reviewer-dr-nassim-assefi"],"yoast_head":"\nHow Much Does Wisdom Teeth Removal Cost? - Guides<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"There are a few different factors you have to consider if you're planning on getting your wisdom teeth removed.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/guides\/how-much-does-wisdom-teeth-removal-cost\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"How Much Does Wisdom Teeth Removal Cost? 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