Dental Cost at a Glance:
Budgeting for dental care can be a challenge. The price of dental procedures can vary for many reasons, including where you live and if you have access to dentists in your plan’s network. Plus, the type of dental insurance you have (or don’t have) can affect how much you pay out of pocket.
To help you get a better understanding, here are some estimates and tips about dental costs.
Procedure Fee Lookup
Metlife's procedure fee tool provides participants of dental plans insured or administered by MetLife guidance in understanding your dental service providers fees by zip code.
Top 15 Dental Procedure Fees
Below you will find our top 15 procedures and the associated fees based on the cash-pay, non-discounted fees.
| Code | Description | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| D1110 | Prophylaxis – Adult | $109.00 |
| D0150 | Comprehensive oral evaluation – new or established patient | $100.00 |
| D0210 | Intraoral – complete series of radiographic images | $154.00 |
| D0274 | Bitewings – four radiographic images | $73.00 |
| D0120 | Periodic oral evaluation – established patient | $61.00 |
| D0220 | Intraoral – periapical first radiographic image | $33.00 |
| D0230 | Intraoral – periapical each additional radiographic image | $30.00 |
| D0140 | Limited oral evaluation – problem focused | $82.00 |
| D2391 | Resin-based composite – one surface, posterior | $204.00 |
| D2392 | Resin-based composite – two surfaces, posterior | $264.00 |
| D4910 | Periodontal maintenance | $155.00 |
| D4341 | Periodontal scaling and root planing – four or more teeth per quadrant | $296.00 |
| D4342 | Periodontal scaling and root planing – one to three teeth per quadrant | $209.00 |
| D2740 | Crown – porcelain/ceramic substrate | $1,307.00 |
| D7210 | Extraction, erupted tooth requiring removal of bone and/or sectioning of tooth | $320.00 |
Costs of Common Dental Procedures
Average Dental Cost by Service:
Some dentist offices may not provide a price list for their services. While your total out-of-pocket costs can depend on your dental insurance coverage, here are average costs for common dental procedures.
Dentists cleaning costs
If you have dental insurance, preventive services like exams and cleanings may be covered 100%. If your plan doesn’t cover these services, average prices are:
- Basic cleaning and polish: $75–$200
- Panoramic X-rays: $100–$200
Dentists filling costs
The price for filling a cavity can depend on the tooth filling material, the size of the cavity to be filled and the location of the tooth. Here are some dental filling costs based on different materials:
- Amalgam: $50–$150 for 1–2 teeth
- Composite or ionomer: $90–$250 for 1–2 teeth
- Gold: $250–$4500 for 1–2 teeth
Dentists crown costs
Like a filling, the cost of a crown is based on the material used. Here are typical prices for a dental crown:
- Metal: $500–$1,500 per tooth
- Porcelain fused-to-metal (PFM): $600–$1,800 per tooth
- Ceramic (porcelain): $800–$2,000 per tooth
Tooth extraction costs
How much you pay for getting a tooth pulled can depend size of the tooth, location of the tooth and difficulty of the procedure. A range of prices include:
- Simple tooth extraction: $75–$250
- Surgical tooth extraction: $180–$550
- Wisdom tooth extraction: $120–$800
Root canal costs
Root canal prices can vary based on how severe the infection is and which tooth is affected. Ballpark estimates for commonly affected teeth are:
- Incisor: $500–$1,000
- Molar: $800–$1,500
Reducing dental costs
Since costs can vary from location to location, as well as dentist to dentist, you might consider comparison shopping. By making a few phone calls, you may be able to save money. Just be sure to confirm that each dentist is part of your insurance plan’s network or you may end up paying more out-of-pocket costs.
Of course, the best way to keep your dentistry costs down is to take good care of your teeth and gums. Brushing twice daily, flossing once a day and getting your 6-month checkups are all part of keeping your mouth healthy, and your dentistry costs low.
Some Dental Plans have no waiting period on basic services and cover 100% of cleaning services. In addition, Dental plans come with varying annual maximums. You can choose a dental plan based on your dental services needs.
For example, if you only go to the dentist for preventive cleaning services twice a year, then you would probably need a plan with lower annual maximum. In contrast, if you require major dental work, then you would need a dental plan with higher annual maximum to cover more expenses.
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