Complete-cost guide

Tooth extraction cost

Extraction cost depends on tooth position, eruption, root anatomy, surgical access, sedation and whether grafting or future replacement is included.

Updated August 20, 2026Not clinically reviewed · status

Part of Cost guides explained. Related: More on Teeth whitening cost · Dental bonding cost guide · Inlay and onlay cost guide · Dental sedation cost explained

Extraction fees vary mainly by difficulty, and the classification used, simple, surgical, partially bony or completely bony impaction, drives both the practice fee and how an insurer assesses it. That coded description matters, so it is worth understanding what has been proposed. The more important budgeting point is that extraction is rarely the end of the spending: unless the space will be left, the replacement is a separate and usually larger cost, and socket preservation grafting, if it is wanted, has to happen at the same appointment. Deciding the replacement plan before the extraction is therefore a financial decision as well as a clinical one. Sedation adds a further separate fee, usually priced by technique and by time, and insurers frequently treat surgical or impacted-tooth extractions under oral-surgery rules different from a simple extraction, sometimes even under a medical, not dental policy, which is worth confirming before the appointment instead of after the bill arrives.

Published fees for the coded services

Fee per unit of the procedure code, in US dollars
ServiceDelta Dental of Washington plan, 2023Maryland Medicaid, 2025
Erupted tooth or exposed root (D7140)$63$135.23
Erupted tooth requiring bone removal (D7210)$127Not listed
Alveoloplasty with extractions, 1 to 3 teeth (D7311)$53$50

Private offices can charge more, and fees differ by region and case. Sources: the Delta Dental of Washington fee schedule (as of June 8, 2023) and the Maryland Healthy Smiles 2025 fee schedule. For a fee lookup by ZIP code, see FAIR Health Consumer.

What moves the number

What actually drives extraction cost

FactorDetail
Simple versus surgicalA visible tooth that can be lifted out differs substantially from one requiring a flap, bone removal or sectioning.
Degree of impactionFor wisdom teeth, soft tissue, partial bony and complete bony impactions are coded and priced differently.
SedationPriced by technique and often by time, and billed separately from the extraction.
ImagingRadiographs are standard; CBCT is added where nerve or sinus proximity needs assessing.
Who performs itGeneral dentist or oral surgeon, with differing fee schedules and referral thresholds.
Number of teethMultiple extractions at one visit change both the fee and how the annual maximum is consumed.

Complete cost

Line items in an extraction estimate

01

Examination and radiographs, including CBCT where required

02

The extraction itself, priced by difficulty

03

Sedation or anesthesia, and any facility fee

04

Socket preservation graft and graft material, if planned

05

Sutures and dressings

06

Post-operative review appointments

07

Treatment of a complication such as a dry socket

08

The replacement, implant, bridge or denture, which is a separate plan

Benefits

How plans commonly treat extractions

  • Simple extractions are usually a basic service; surgical extractions are often assessed as oral surgery under different rules
  • Some plans process impacted third molar surgery under a medical policy instead of a dental one
  • The coded degree of impaction affects the benefit, so the description on the claim matters
  • Sedation is frequently subject to its own conditions and may not be covered for anxiety alone
  • Socket preservation grafting is commonly excluded even where the extraction is covered
  • Multiple extractions in one visit can reach an annual maximum immediately

Plan ahead

The decision that has a deadline

Socket preservation and immediate implant placement are only possible at the appointment where the tooth is removed. If either might be wanted, the replacement conversation and its costs belong before the extraction is booked, not afterwards. Rebuilding a collapsed ridge later is a larger, staged and more expensive procedure than preserving the site at the time. Even if you decide to leave the space for now, knowing that preservation keeps the implant option realistically open is useful information to have before the tooth comes out.

Insurance

Simple, surgical and impacted removals are filed differently

MetLife's guide lists simple extractions as basic care and impacted-tooth extractions as major. Guardian lists extractions among basic services. Cigna lists extractions as basic restorative and oral surgery as major. So the same word covers procedures in two tiers, and which one applies depends on how the tooth is removed and how the office codes it. Sedation may be treated as major on MetLife's plans. If a replacement is planned, whether a bridge, an implant or a denture, that is a separate major service with its own rules. Check with the plan how it will file the specific codes before treatment.

Extraction for pain or infection should not wait on paperwork. Check with the office how urgent it is and how to get an estimate quickly.

One tooth or many

A single tooth, several teeth and a full-mouth removal

FactorDetail
One toothPriced by how it comes out: simple, surgical or impacted. Ask whether an X-ray, sedation and follow-up are included.
Several teethFind out whether the fee is per tooth or per visit, and whether grafting to preserve the sites is included.
All teeth in an arch or the mouthThis is a larger surgical plan, typically followed by a denture. Ask about immediate dentures, healing time and the cost of relines.
Planning a replacementIf an implant is planned, ask whether a socket graft at the time of removal is included.

Who does the work

General dentist or oral surgeon

A general dentist can remove many teeth. An oral and maxillofacial surgeon has hospital-based surgical training and is often involved when a tooth is impacted, close to a nerve or sinus, or when many teeth are removed under sedation or anesthesia. If you are referred, ask whether the surgeon is in your plan's network, whether the anesthesia is billed by the surgeon or a separate provider, and what the follow-up care includes.

See the oral and maxillofacial surgeon guide for what the specialty covers.

Lowering the bill

Ways to reduce cost without lowering the standard

01

Call a dental school clinic about removals and its fee schedule, and ask to find out whether students treat under supervision

02

Ask a community health center about income-based fees

03

Ask whether the plan classifies your extraction as simple or surgical

04

Ask whether the sedation is billed separately and by whom

05

Ask whether saving the tooth is an option and what that would cost

Questions people ask

Common questions

01

Why does one extraction cost more than another?

Difficulty. A visible tooth that can be loosened and lifted out is a short procedure; one that is broken down, curved-rooted, or impacted in bone requires raising a flap, sometimes removing bone and sectioning the tooth, and takes considerably longer. Wisdom teeth are further classified by degree of impaction. The coded description on your estimate tells you which category applies and affects how an insurer assesses it.

02

Is the replacement included in the extraction cost?

No: they are separate plans with separate costs, and the replacement is usually the larger of the two. This is the most common budgeting mistake with extractions: the fee on the day is modest and the real expenditure arrives later with an implant, bridge or denture. Ask for the replacement to be priced at the same time so you are looking at the total for that tooth, not the first instalment.

03

Should I pay extra for socket preservation?

It depends on whether an implant is likely at that site or whether the ridge shape matters for appearance. Where no replacement is planned and the space will simply be left, grafting adds cost without a clear benefit. Where an implant is probable, preservation limits ridge shrinkage and can avoid a larger, more expensive augmentation later. Ask specifically what it is preserving the site for in your case.

04

Will insurance cover wisdom tooth removal?

Often, but the rules differ from a simple extraction. Surgical removal of impacted teeth is commonly assessed as oral surgery, and some plans process it under a medical policy, particularly with general anesthesia or hospital care. The coded degree of impaction affects the benefit. Sedation may be excluded if provided for anxiety alone. Because several policies can be involved, a pretreatment estimate is worthwhile before booking.

05

Why is sedation quoted separately?

Because it is a distinct service with its own pre-assessment, monitoring and staffing requirements, and it is frequently charged by time instead of as a flat fee, so a longer appointment costs more. Anesthetist and facility fees may be separate again for general anesthesia. Ask for it itemized alongside the extraction so you can see what each element contributes, and check whether your plan covers it at all.

06

Does removing multiple teeth at once cost less per tooth than separate visits?

Often somewhat, since some fixed costs (the visit itself, sedation setup) are shared across multiple extractions in one appointment, but each tooth is still separately coded and priced by its own difficulty: ask for a full itemized quote instead of assuming a simple per-tooth discount.

07

Is treating a dry socket after extraction an extra cost?

Usually yes, as a separate visit and treatment if it occurs, since it is a complication requiring its own assessment and management, not being covered under the original extraction fee. This is a real, if not universal, possible additional cost worth knowing about.

08

Does an oral surgeon charge more than a general dentist for the same extraction?

Often somewhat more, reflecting additional training and equipment, but referral to a surgeon typically happens because the case is more complex to begin with, not because the same straightforward extraction costs more there: compare fees for genuinely comparable difficulty.

09

Does extracting a tooth with an infection cost more than a straightforward extraction?

It can, particularly if antibiotics, an incision to drain an abscess, or a more complex surgical approach are needed because of the infection. The underlying difficulty of the extraction, now complicated by infection, is what drives the fee instead of the infection itself being a separate line item.

10

Is there a cost difference between extracting a baby tooth and a permanent tooth?

Extracting a primary (baby) tooth is generally simpler and less costly than extracting a comparable permanent tooth, reflecting typically simpler root anatomy, though this varies by the specific tooth and situation.

11

Does the cost of extraction change if I need a bridge or partial denture afterward instead of an implant?

The extraction fee itself is the same regardless of what replaces the tooth; it is the replacement option chosen afterward, implant, bridge, partial denture or nothing, that has vastly different associated costs, which is why planning the replacement alongside the extraction decision matters financially.

12

Does the practice charge for the consultation visit where extraction is first discussed?

Many practices include this within a standard examination fee, but some charge separately for a dedicated surgical consultation, particularly for a complex or impacted case: ask what the initial visit costs before booking.

13

Does dental insurance cover tooth extractions?

Usually, with the tier depending on the type. MetLife lists simple extractions as basic and impacted extractions as major. Guardian lists extractions among basic services. Cigna lists them as basic restorative and oral surgery as major. Ask the plan how it will file your specific codes.

14

Why is a surgical extraction more expensive?

It involves more time, cutting the gum or bone, and often sedation, so the fee and the plan classification are different. A simple extraction is a tooth that can be removed without surgery. Check with the office which applies to yours and whether sedation and follow-up are in the quote.

15

Where can I get an extraction at lower cost?

Dental school clinics, community health centers and some public programs can offer care at reduced fees. The National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research points people to dental schools first. Call to ask what each provides, and do not delay care for a painful or infected tooth.

Related glossary terms

Sources

  1. Oral Health TopicsAmerican Dental AssociationAccessed 2026-08-17
  2. Medicare Dental CoverageCenters for Medicare & Medicaid ServicesAccessed 2026-08-17
  3. What Is a Dental PPO Plan?MetLife Oral Fitness LibraryAccessed 2026-09-24
  4. Dental InsuranceGuardianAccessed 2026-09-24
  5. Dental HMO vs. PPO PlansCigna HealthcareAccessed 2026-09-24
  6. Finding Dental CareNational Institute of Dental and Craniofacial ResearchAccessed 2026-09-23