You may not like going to the dentist, but dental care is essential to good oral care. Your dentist has the best equipment to give your teeth an intensive cleaning. Dentists also have the expertise to figure out why your teeth are aching, shifting, yellowing, and more.
However, even though dentists are necessary, you shouldn’t have to break the bank to see a good dentist. Dental expenses vary, but you should look for a price that meets your budget and provides excellent service.
Not sure how to do that? Well, you’re in luck! In this article, we’ll help you navigate the cost of dentistry.
Breaking Down Procedure Costs
When you go to the dentist’s office, you’re not paying for the dentist so much as the procedure you’re there for. The cost of procedures is the part of your visit that most affects your expenses. If you have insurance, there’s a high likelihood it covers your most basic needs.
For more advanced operations, such as dental reconstruction, you’ll generally need to pay a co-payment. If you don’t have insurance, that’s when the price starts to build.
Let’s begin with the most basic operation of a dentist’s office: teeth cleaning. Usually, insurance completely covers teeth cleaning from any dental office, so long as that office accepts your provider. If not, your cleaning could cost $70-$200.
Additional Costs
Other dental costs that could come up include getting x-rays or an exam by a dentist. Both of these cost extra, but once again, insurance generally covers it. Otherwise, you’d likely pay $20-$250 for the x-ray and $50-$150 for the exam.
Advanced Procedures
If you’re lucky, most of your dental visits will consist of teeth cleanings or the occasional cavity filling. However, most people end up needing a little more advanced options than these. In this section, we’ll break down a few of those operations.
First, most everybody will need their wisdom teeth removed. This procedure can become a little pricy, especially without insurance. If you don’t have insurance, the average cost of removal per tooth ranges from $250-$700.
A second common operation is the root canal, which dentists perform to remove inflamed or infected pulp in the tooth and reseal it.
The less expensive teeth to repair are your back teeth, which without insurance costs approximately $900 to fix. If your front teeth need treatment, this can cost over $1,000.
What Does a Good Dentist Charge For Braces?
Many people wonder how much a good dentist charges for braces, either for themselves or for their children. This cost is tricky to determine, as more alternatives exist to traditional braces now.
However, traditional braces will usually cost up to $5,000 without insurance. With insurance, you get a break and only need to pay about $3,400.
Finding the Right Dentist
If you’re looking for a good dentist, don’t let this information scare you. Prices for operations often fluctuate from office to office. If you contact local dentists, you may find there are options to help you pay for the operations you need.
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