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. On top of this, Alberta is considered to have some of the highest dental fees in the country, adding to the anxiety you might experience when it comes time to pay your dental bill.
In 2018, the Alberta Dental Association (ADA) introduced the Alberta Dental Fee Guide to help patients better understand dental service prices and to help align Alberta with the rest of Canada. Today, we’ll review the Alberta Dental Fee Guide, break down some of the costs associated with the most common services, and look at how these prices might change going into 2023.
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, but we can also develop personalized payment plans to help you get the services you need without stressing about the costs.
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 of cleanings, while others may cover dental surgeries, orthodontics, and various restorative procedures.
What Do These Prices Mean?
The following dental fees are in accordance with the ADA, but these are estimates of the final cost of treatment only we provide at Southgate Dental. Prices may change depending on the skill and labour involved, but the ADA fee guide is a great way to help patients like you understand why certain services cost the way they do.
For more information on dental fees, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
Dental Exams & Cleanings
During a dental exam, your dentist assesses your oral health by looking for tooth decay or gum disease. However, at Southgate Dental, we might also measure your blood pressure and review your medical history.
We’ll then professionally clean your teeth to remove stuck-on plaque and tartar that could lead to potential oral health problems in the future.
Dental exams and cleanings are among the most common services we provide, and we recommend coming in for one every 6 months.
Dental Exams (Not Including X-Rays)
The following fees are provided by the 2023 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
- Panorex: $101.53
- 2 bite wings: $54.60
- 4 bite wings: $100.36
Dental Cleanings
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): $68.79
- Scaling (one unit time or 15 minutes): $77.21
- Fluoride treatment: $33.33
- Sealant (first tooth): $37.51
Restorative Dental Services
Restorative dentistry describes a group of services that help restore the look and function of your smile. Prices can range 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.
Learn more about these prices by visiting the College of Dental Surgeons of Alberta website.
Silver Coloured Fillings
- Fillings for baby teeth 2 surfaces: $148.07
- Fillings for adult teeth 2 surfaces: $161.81
Tooth Coloured Fillings
- Fillings for adult front teeth:
- 1 surface: $156.93
- 2 surfaces: $187.84
- 3 surfaces: $215.63
- Fillings for adult premolars:
- 1 surface: $164.53
- 2 surfaces: $229.20
- 3 surfaces: $268.43
- Fillings for adult molars:
- 1 surface: $171.98
- 2 surfaces: $242.45
- 3 surfaces: $287.04
- Fillings for baby molars:
- 2 surfaces: $209.41
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, crowns are created using metal and/or porcelain materials which we then cement over top of your natural tooth or an implant.
The cost of a crown may vary for adult teeth, depending on the laboratory costs needed to mould the crown to your teeth.
Learn more about these prices by visiting the College of Dental Surgeons of Alberta website.
- Metal crown for a back baby tooth: $233.36
- Metal/porcelain crown for adults: $948.91 + lab costs
- Gold crown: $948.91 + lab costs
- Porcelain crown: $948.91 + lab costs
Root Canals
If tooth decay finds its way to your tooth pulp, it can cause an infection and 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 infection, we’ll fill the space with tooth-like materials to help restore function to your teeth.
In some cases, we may need to create 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.
Learn more about these prices by visiting the College of Dental Surgeons of Alberta website.
- 1 canal starting at: $761.19
- 2 canals starting at: $1108.48
- 3 canals starting at: $1296.32
- 4 canals starting at: $1636.20
Implants & Bridges
There are numerous reasons why we recommend a bridge or a dental implant to help restore the look and function of your teeth, but these services can range in prices. However, 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.
These prices are reflective of the College of Dental Surgeons of Alberta website.
Bridges
- Porcelain fused to metal crowns for holding the bridge (retainer): $1037.49 + lab costs
- Porcelain fused to metal artificial teeth used for bridge (pontic): $504.55 + lab costs
Invisalign & Orthodontics
The cost of Invisalign and other orthodontic treatments, like braces, are determined case-by-case. The cost of Invisalign for a standard case is $6250 for top and bottom teeth for 12 to 24 months, it includes your first set of retainers.
Because every smile is different, it is difficult to determine how long you may need orthodontic treatment until we perform a complete oral exam and identify the issues you might be experiencing. Sometimes, we’ll recommend additional services like a tooth extraction before starting orthodontic 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: $154.52
- Surgical removal of erupted tooth: $278.49
- Difficult/impacted tooth extraction: $412.97–$756.74
National 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. As of 2023, this coverage will extend to seniors, people under the age of 18, and people living with disabilities.
By 2025, though, the federal government hopes to have some dental fee coverage for all family members with a net income of less than $90,000 annually.
But if you need dental treatment now, please feel free to contact the team at Southgate Dental today. 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.
