How Much Does a Dental Bone Graft Cost?

What you are paying for

What goes into the cost of a dental bone graft

A dental bone graft typically costs between $500 and $3,000 without insurance, with around $1,500 common. The range is wide because the name covers very different operations. Packing a small amount of material into a socket straight after an extraction is quick and sits at the low end. Rebuilding the width of a ridge, or lifting the sinus floor to add height, is a longer surgery using more material and sits at the high end. The fee generally covers the surgeon's time, the graft material, a membrane, stitches and follow-up checks. It does not usually cover the three-dimensional scan, the extraction, sedation or the implant that follows. A graft is nearly always billed as its own line, separate from the implant quote.

Ways the bill can come down

If a tooth is coming out and you expect to want an implant, ask whether a socket graft at the same visit would avoid a larger, costlier graft later. Ask too whether the graft can be combined with implant placement. Request an itemized estimate that names the material, membrane, scan and sedation. Insurance is inconsistent: some plans help with grafts related to gum disease or extractions and exclude those done only for implants, so have a pre-treatment estimate submitted. Dental schools and specialty residency clinics offer lower fees. Finally, ask your surgeon whether the tooth replacement you have chosen truly requires a graft, since a bridge or partial denture typically does not.

Table 1 — Factors that affect dental bone graft cost

Factors That Affect Dental Bone Graft Cost

1. 01

   Type and size of graft

   A socket graft, a ridge build-up and a sinus lift are priced differently. Within each, a larger defect needs more material and more surgical time.

2. 02

   Source of the material

   Processed donor and synthetic materials are bought by volume, and brands vary in price. Using your own bone avoids that purchase but adds a second surgical site and more operating time.

3. 03

   Membranes and fixation

   A simple dissolving membrane is inexpensive. Larger grafts may need a reinforced membrane, small pins or screws to hold things still, and sometimes a second minor procedure to remove them.

4. 04

   Who does the surgery

   Oral surgeons and periodontists do most larger grafts and charge specialist fees. A general dentist may place a straightforward socket graft at the time of an extraction.

5. 05

   Imaging and sedation

   A three-dimensional scan before, and sometimes after, is a separate charge. Sedation adds its own fee and is more common with bigger grafts.

6. 06

   Timing with other procedures

   A graft placed during an extraction or an implant surgery shares the appointment, anesthesia and healing. A graft done as a stand-alone operation carries those costs by itself.

Table 2 — Payment options

Payment Options

• Dental Insurance

  Plans usually pay part of the cost of covered procedures after a deductible, up to an annual maximum. Ask for a pre-treatment estimate.

• Payment Plans

  Many dentists offer in-house financing or work with CareCredit.

• Dental Discount Plans

  A yearly membership that gives reduced fees at participating dentists. Not insurance; check what it covers.

• Dental Schools

  Dental school clinics charge lower fees for care by supervised students. Appointments take longer.