The removal of wisdom teeth isn’t an uncommon dental procedure- many people have it done, and many are young adults or teens. But while it is a relatively common and simple procedure as far as surgeries go, it’s still likely going to cost you a bit of extra money. And what if you don’t have dental insurance? To learn more about all things wisdom teeth and details about the cost, keep reading.
Do you need to remove your wisdom teeth?
Not everyone has to get their wisdom teeth removed. However, many people do end up getting wisdom teeth surgery at one point or another. Why is this?
Your wisdom teeth are located at the back of your mouth, and they have a tendency to grow in or “erupt” in an irregular fashion. Instead of coming into your mouth as they should, they might grow in at an angle, crowd nearby teeth, or only partially erupt out of the gums. Each of these irregularities poses a reason why wisdom teeth might need to be removed.
Generally, wisdom teeth are more challenging to clean due to their location at the back of the mouth, and if wisdom teeth coming in grow incorrectly, or only partially, this can make maintaining appropriate dental hygiene difficult or nearly impossible. This, in turn, would predispose an individual to a variety of oral health problems, including but not limited to cavities and gum disease.
If your wisdom teeth are making it difficult for you to clean your teeth, causing pain, crowding other teeth, or altering your bite, or if you have wisdom teeth swelling, it might be time to think about getting them removed.
The risks of wisdom teeth extraction
Getting your wisdom teeth removed is quite a safe procedure, and you shouldn’t stress too much about it. As with any surgery, however, there are some risks to having your wisdom teeth taken out. With this procedure, you may be at risk for the following:
- Infection and of the socket from which the wisdom tooth was removed. This can be caused by harmful bacteria getting into your mouth or by food particles getting trapped in the socket. This makes it particularly important to pay attention to which foods to eat after wisdom teeth removal.
- Dry socket. Dry socket. This painful condition occurs when the blood clot that forms over the empty socket is lost, which results in exposed bone
- Damage to nearby nerves.
The average cost of wisdom teeth removal
How much do wisdom teeth cost to remove anyways? The cost of wisdom teeth removal varies depending on the complexity of the specific case at hand and which type of option for removal the patient ends up undergoing. Here’s a quick breakdown of the expected cost for each significant step in the removal process:
What is the cost of wisdom teeth extraction with sedation?
The above outline includes the major costs of wisdom teeth removal-with one major exception—the cost of sedation for surgical removals. The nitric oxide that is used to relax the patient costs $40 to $90, and general anesthesia is $250-$800.
How much does wisdom teeth removal cost without insurance?
What can you expect for wisdom teeth removal cost? And does insurance cover wisdom teeth removal? Generally, dental or medical insurance will cover at least part of the cost of wisdom teeth removal. If general anesthesia will be used for the extraction, it is likely that the surgery will be billed through your medical insurance plan. If just local anesthesia is going to be used, it is more likely that the cost of the procedure will be billed through your dental insurance plan. The exact number may vary depending on your insurance company and plan. Still, for this example, we’ll go over wisdom tooth removal cost with insurance vs. wisdom teeth removal cost without insurance through Cigna Dental.
It is essential to keep in mind that the chart above is simply an example using the information available from one insurance company. The actual prices for the removal expenses listed above might not reflect the wisdom teeth extraction cost with coverage from different insurance companies. However, it can be a helpful tool to see what costs are like with dental insurance that covers wisdom teeth extraction.
How else can you save on the removal of wisdom teeth?
Payment Plans
Payment plans offered by dental clinics might be able to help you save a little extra money on wisdom teeth removal if insurance is either not an option or doesn’t provide complete coverage. Although individual clinics will often offer their own unique discounts, a common payment option is CareCredit, which is a third-party financing plan that can help you pay for treatment.
Discount Dental Plans
Discount dental plans are another way that you can save money on wisdom teeth extraction without the aid of dental or medical insurance. Like Aetna or Cigna, many major insurance companies offer dental discount plans in addition to their regular insurance plans. There are also companies dedicated to the creation of discount plans only, like Careington.
The cost of wisdom teeth removal near me
Trying to find out more about “wisdom teeth removal near me”? To find out more about what to expect for the cost of wisdom teeth removal close to you, there are two main steps you can take. First, you can take a look at what your local dentists are charging for wisdom tooth extractions. Next, you can take that cost and check out your insurance plans or those available for purchase in your area and see how much of the baseline cost the insurance company will cover.
FAQ
Most frequent questions and answers
Can you get your wisdom teeth removed for free?
While many major dental and medical insurance companies will cover at least part of wisdom teeth removal procedures, and sometimes even a large portion of it, it is unlikely (but not impossible!) that you can get your wisdom teeth removed for free.
Are wisdom teeth covered by Medicare?
Since wisdom teeth removal is considered a routine and non-emergency procedure by Medicare, it is not covered. However, it is possible that Medicare A might cover part of the cost if it is done while admitted to a hospital.
Which factors make wisdom teeth removal cost vary?
There are a variety of factors that contribute to the variability of wisdom teeth removal cost:
- Complexity: The complexity of a case can have a direct impact on the cost of the removal. For instance, a bony extraction will nearly always end up being more expensive than a simple extraction where the tooth has at least partially erupted.
- Location: Your physical location and the clinic’s location at which you get your wisdom teeth removed can also undoubtedly impact the cost of the procedure. Within the United States, a baseline rule is that most things tend to be more expensive on the coasts compared to the interior of the country. Furthermore, rural areas tend to have a lower cost of living compared to urban areas, making the cost of goods and services like wisdom teeth extraction lower.
- Insurance: The third major player in the cost of wisdom teeth removal is your insurance plan. Insurance plans vary in what they will cover and what the deductible is before your coverage kicks in, which makes them a significant factor in the final cost of wisdom teeth removal.
How much is the cost of wisdom tooth extraction for foreigners?
For those residing in the United States without U.S. citizenship, or foreigners who are not visiting, the cost of wisdom tooth extraction is likely to be higher due to a lack of insurance. The exact price is difficult to estimate, but it is expected to end up being somewhere close to the prices estimated earlier in the article for wisdom tooth extraction without insurance coverage.
do wisdom teeth ever grow back?