What should wisdom teeth removal cost, and will insurance pay?

We don't list prices here, because they vary too much to be useful. If your dentist is in network with your plan, the fee is set by your plan's contract with the dentist. If they're out of network, they set their own fee. The best way to know your cost is to ask the office for it in writing before treatment. If the cost is higher than you expected, it's reasonable to ask why, or to get a second opinion or a quote from another office.

• How many teeth: each tooth is billed separately.
• How stuck each one is: a tooth fully stuck in bone (D7240) costs more than one under the gum (D7220) or one that has come in (D7140, D7210). A coronectomy has its own code (D7251).
• Sedation or anesthesia: often billed in 15-minute blocks. See Do I need to be put to sleep?
• Who does it: an oral surgeon often charges more than a general dentist.
• Where you live.

• A consultation or exam
• A panoramic X-ray or 3D scan
• One line per tooth removed
• Sedation or general anesthesia
• Sometimes a follow-up visit, or a graft if a molar in front needs it

Most plans include coverage for removing wisdom teeth, but how yours pays depends on the X-rays meeting its criteria (see below). Plans often count tooth removal as a basic service, but it varies from plan to plan. The usual limits apply:

• Your deductible and coinsurance
• Your annual maximum. Four impacted teeth plus anesthesia can use much of it.
• Waiting periods, if your coverage is new

Sedation and general anesthesia have their own rules. See Do I need to be put to sleep, and will insurance pay for it?

Medical insurance sometimes pays part of wisdom tooth surgery or anesthesia, for example when teeth are deeply stuck in the bone or the surgery is done in a hospital. It varies from plan to plan, so ask the office whether they bill medical insurance, and check with your medical plan.

If your dentist is out of network, they can charge their own fee and bill you for whatever the plan doesn't pay. Out-of-network offices often collect the full fee up front, and the plan pays you back whatever benefits it covers.

Plans look at your X-rays to see how stuck each tooth is. If a tooth looks less involved than the level billed (for example, billed as fully stuck in bone, but the X-ray shows it mostly under the gum), the plan may pay for a simpler level. See how plans decide on tooth removal and Why did insurance only pay for a cheaper treatment?

Some plans also want the records to show a reason for removing a tooth that isn't causing symptoms, such as a problem seen on the X-ray. A predetermination sends the X-rays before surgery, so you'll usually know how each tooth will be paid.

• Ask for a predetermination that includes every tooth and the anesthesia.
• Ask what type of sedation is right for you, and what each would cost.
• If only some teeth are causing problems, ask whether the others can wait.
• If you have medical insurance, ask whether it can help (see Will insurance pay? above).
• Ask whether the office offers a payment plan.
• If you have a health savings account (HSA) or flexible spending account (FSA), IRS rules generally count tooth removal as an eligible expense. Check with your account's administrator.
• Dental school clinics often charge less, though visits take longer.