Wisdom teeth extraction is a minor oral surgery that many people seek to prevent pain and problems that are associated the development of wisdom teeth. Overall, the surgery is relatively inexpensive, unless major complications are involved, but costs do vary from office to office.
Wisdom Teeth Removal
Function
Prior to removal, the area surrounding the wisdom teeth must be numbed with a local anesthetic, which is typically Novocaine or Lidocaine. If patients are really anxious, dentists can administer nitrous oxide, or laughing gas, a more general anasthetic. Once completely numb, your dentist will push back your gums to cut out the wisdom teeth that need to be removed. The teeth are cut into little sections for easy removal. Once the teeth are completely removed, your gums are sewed back into place to heal.
Following surgery, you may experience additional costs associated with complications such as infections, dry sockets (when blood clots post-surgery become dislodged or fail to form at all, which slows the healing process), or paresthesia (when nerves become damaged during surgery, causing temporary pain).
Typical Costs
The typical cost of having four wisdom teeth extracted varies by the length of the procedure, the location of the dentist, the dentist's experience and the type of dental insurance you have (if you have dental insurance). As stated by Costhelper.com, the average price for wisdom tooth removal is around $150 to $350 per tooth, so the cost of having four wisdom teeth removed would be between $600 and $1,400.
Additional Costs
On top of the $600 to $1,400 cost of tooth removal, you must also pay to cover X-ray fees, sedation fees, and consultation fees. These fees alone can add an additional cost of almost $700 to your final surgery price, as explained on Costhelper.com.
Discounts
Some dental college clinics will give you a discount if you allowed their students to do the surgery, under the supervision of their instructors. Also, the American Dental Association has programs available to low-income individuals and families so they can afford oral surgeries such as wisdom teeth removal.
Considerations
If you have dental insurance, your insurer can refer you to dental offices that have contracted with your insurer to give you a lower share of the cost. In some cases, as stated by Costhelper.com, dental insurance will cover 70 percent to 80 percent of the bill if the surgery is medically necessary.
Having surgery done in an urbanized area will cost more than getting it done in a rural area. It's worth a longer commute if you can save hundreds of dollars on the surgery.
Time Frame
Your dentist will certainly want you to have a follow up appointment or two to make sure the surgery went well. Since you may experience swelling, bleeding, numbness and pain after the surgery, the dentist may suggest you go on pain medications which would cost extra money.
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