How Much Does Wisdom Teeth Extraction Cost?

Have you recently been told by your dentist that you need to have your wisdom teeth removed and now you are worried about the costs? You are not alone in this experience! The best place to start is by budgeting. But before you budget, it helps to do a little research to get a better idea of what to expect for the estimated costs of a wisdom tooth extraction procedure. Below is more information to help get you started on planning for your upcoming extraction procedure.

The Estimated Costs of a Wisdom Tooth Extraction

The estimated costs of a wisdom tooth extraction can vary widely. There are a few factors that influence the costs that will help you understand what to expect. For example, how healthy your teeth are, where the wisdom teeth are located in the jaw, and whether or not the wisdom teeth have broken through the skin, are all factors that can impact the costs of the procedure. Here are a few common scenarios to better explain:

• Fully erupted wisdom teeth: If wisdom teeth are fully erupted, it means they have broken completely through the gum tissue. Wisdom teeth that are fully erupted are the simplest and least expensive teeth to remove. This simple extraction procedure can be performed by a dentist and will only take approximately twenty minutes, therefore resulting in lower estimated costs.
• Impacted wisdom tooth under tissue: When the wisdom teeth are trapped under the soft tissue of the gum, the procedure will be a little more complicated. An oral surgeon will need to make small incisions in the tissue in order to access the teeth. After the teeth are removed stitches will be needed. Overall, the impacted wisdom teeth scenario is fairly simple, but requires an oral surgeon and will be a bit more expensive.
• Impacted wisdom tooth under bone: Sometimes wisdom teeth are trapped within the jawbone. These wisdom teeth are the most difficult to extract. Not only does this type of extraction require a surgeon, but also will require more time and more anesthesia.

Does Insurance Cover the Wisdom Teeth Extraction Procedure?

Today, most extraction procedures are covered completely or partially by dental insurance policies. Attempting to pay for the extraction out of pocket can be a big task. Instead of planning to pay out of pocket, you should first start by doing some research into what costs you can expect your insurance policy to cover. If you don’t have dental insurance or your policy won’t cover the costs of your extraction, there are other options to help cover the costs.

How to Save Money on the Extraction Procedure

If your current dental insurance policy won’t cover all of the costs of your upcoming extraction, here are some tips to help reduce your costs:

• Change your geographic location: Your location will likely influence your costs. By changing your location, or going outside of your city or state you may be able to bring the cost of your extraction down.
• Go to a dental school: Many dental schools will offer the common dental procedures including extraction. Having your extraction performed by a student will help to reduce the costs of the procedure.
• Find a dental discount plan: Whether used with your insurance policy or used independently, discount plans offer discounts on all dental procedures.