Whether you need a routine dental exam, a root canal, or a comprehensive orthodontic treatment, one of the first thoughts that pop into your head is, “How much does this cost?”
According to a study performed in 2014, the cost of dental services is among the most common reasons Canadians avoid going to the dentist.
In 2018, the Alberta Dental Association (ADA) introduced the Alberta Dental Fee Guide to help patients better understand dental service prices. Today, we’ll review the Alberta Dental Fee Guide and break down some of the costs associated with the most common services.
At Southgate Dental, we pride ourselves on providing transparent answers to your dental-related questions, including the fees associated with services and treatment. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact our team. Better yet, request an appointment with us and get the dental care you need today.
How Does Insurance Help?
When it comes to getting the care you need, we want to help make your experience as easy and convenient for you as possible. Not only do we accept insurance and will bill directly, but we can also develop personalized payment plans to help you get the services you need without stressing about the costs with interest rates as low as 0%.
However, not all insurance plans cover the same services and fees. Before you visit us for an appointment, please get in touch with your insurance provider to learn more about your coverage. Some plans may only cover the cost of exams and cleanings, while others may cover dental surgeries, orthodontics, and various restorative procedures.
What Do These Prices Mean?
The following dental fees are set in by the ADA every year. This year, the ADA has a 3.6% increase in the fees over 2023.
For more information on dental fees, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
Dental Exams & Cleanings
A dental exam is one of the most common services provided by our team. During these exams, we will assess your oral health and look for tooth decay, gum disease, and other common oral health problems.
Then, we’ll professionally clean your teeth to remove plaque and tartar so it doesn’t cause further problems in the future. We recommend you schedule a dental cleaning on average once every 6 months. Depending on your oral health needs, we may recommend more or less frequent visits.
Dental Exams (Not Including X-Rays)
The following fees are provided by the 2024 Alberta Dental Fee Guide.
- Dental exams for children with only baby teeth: $81.82
- Dental exams for children with adult and baby teeth: $111.51
- Dental exams for adults: $116.66
X-Rays
- Single panoramic: $101.53
- 2 bitewings: $54.60
- 4 bitewings: $100.36
Dental Cleanings & Preventative Treatment
There are multiple steps to a cleaning, each with its costs. However, prices increase for every 15 minutes of time (also known as a unit of time) spent on a particular service. The prices below reflect the cost of a 15-minute service. For more information, please visit the fee guide.
- Polishing (one unit time or 15 minutes): $71.54
- Scaling (one unit time or 15 minutes): $80.30
- Fluoride treatment: $34.66
- Sealant (first tooth): $39.01
Restorative Dental Services
Restorative dentistry describes a group of services that help restore the look and function of your smile. Prices can vary depending on the materials used, the teeth we treat, and whether we treat adult or baby teeth.
Fillings
If you have a cavity, we’ll need to remove the decay from your teeth. To restore function and protect your teeth from further tooth decay, we will fill the area with tooth-like materials known as a filling.
Silver Coloured Fillings
- Fillings for baby teeth 2 surfaces: $162.24
- Fillings for adult teeth 2 surfaces: $229.57
Tooth Coloured Fillings
- Fillings for adult front teeth:
- 1 surface: $160.07
- 2 surfaces: $191.60
- 3 surfaces: $236.98
- Fillings for adult premolars:
- 1 surface: $167.82
- 2 surfaces: $233.78
- 3 surfaces: $273.80
- Fillings for adult molars:
- 1 surface: $175.42
- 2 surfaces: $247.30
- 3 surfaces: $292.78
- Fillings for baby molars:
- 2 surfaces: $213.60
Crowns
Crowns, also known as caps, are a restorative service to help restore function to decayed or damaged teeth. With the help of a partnering lab or a CEREC machine, crowns are created using metal and/or porcelain-like materials, which we then cement over top of your natural tooth or an implant.
The cost of a crown varies for adult teeth, depending on the laboratory costs which includes the cost of gold, silver, or porcelain-like materials needed to mould the crown to your teeth.
- Stainless steel crown for a back baby tooth: $238.03
- Metal/porcelain crown for adults: $986.87 + lab costs
- Cast metal crown (including gold) for adults: $986.87 + lab costs
Root Canals
If tooth decay finds its way to your tooth pulp or trauma, it can cause an infection and inflammation possibly lead to several uncomfortable symptoms. When this happens, we’ll need to perform a root canal to remove the infection and protect your oral health.
Once we remove the pulp tissue, we’ll fill the space with tooth-like materials to help restore function to your teeth.
In some cases, we may need to treat multiple canals into the tooth to fully remove the infection, which can add to the cost of treatment. The permanent restoration, whether it be a filling or a crown, is not included in the price of the root canal.
- 1 canal: $761.19
- 2 canals: $1108.48
- 3 canals: $1296.32
Implants & Bridges
There are numerous reasons why we recommend a bridge or a dental implant to help restore the look and function of a lost tooth, but these services can range dramatically in price. For a dental implant, these costs are determined on a case-by-case basis, as it may require numerous steps to complete the treatment, like an extraction, a bone graft, an implant surgery, and a crown.
However, the ADA does provide a look into the cost of bridges, which we’ve included below.
It’s important to remember that these costs don’t reflect the lab fees associated with creating the bridge we’ll use to restore your smile. For a better understanding of the fees you might need to pay, please request an appointment with us.
Bridges
Dental bridges involve at least 3 teeth, 2 retainers, and one pontic.
- Porcelain fused to metal crowns for holding the bridge (retainer): $1078.99 + lab costs
- Porcelain fused to metal artificial teeth used for bridge (pontic): $524.73 + lab costs
Invisalign & Orthodontics
The cost of Invisalign at Southgate Dental Centre is $6250.00.
Because every smile is different, it is difficult to determine how long you may need Invisalign treatment until we perform a complete oral exam and identify the issues you might be experiencing. Sometimes, we’ll recommend additional services like a dental cleaning or filling before starting an Invisalign treatment.
Dental Surgery
There are several dental surgeries, but the most common include tooth extractions and wisdom teeth removal. Prices can vary depending on your surgery, but the most common difference is between erupted (exposed) and impacted (unexposed) teeth.
- Uncomplicated erupted tooth extraction: $160.60
- Complication erupted tooth extraction: $289.63
- Uncomplicated impacted removal: $289.63
- Complication impacted removal: $429.49
The Canada Dental Care Benefit
The federal government has a new program that aims to help lower-income patients pay for dental treatments, specifically for children under the age of 12.
Parents and guardians may be eligible to apply for this benefit program if they pay for dental care for a child under the age of 12 who is not covered by a private dental insurance plan. By 2025, the federal government hopes to have some dental fee coverage for all family members with a net income of less than $90,000 annually.
As of May 2024, if you are between the age of 65-69, you can apply online. Adults living with a valid Disability Tax Credit certificate and children under the age of 18 can apply as of June 2024.
Here for Your Dental Needs
Please feel free to contact the team at Southgate Dental Centre today if you have questions. We’ll be happy to walk you through the estimated costs of your treatment and work with your insurance provider to help you achieve the smile you deserve.
