Although wisdom teeth removal is considered a dental procedure, health insurance companies may cover some of the procedure if it is deemed medically necessary, such as if the wisdom teeth are impacted and pose a risk to your health. This is because failure to treat the condition could lead to other health problems like nerve damage, infection, cysts, and bone damage.
If your wisdom teeth are not impacted, however, your health insurance is unlikely to pay for it, but be sure to check with your provider if there are any other benefits they may offer concerning the procedure.
Some dental insurance plans may cover some or all of the cost of wisdom teeth removal, but most plans have an annual cap of $1,000 to $1,500. Be sure to discuss your procedure with your dentist or oral surgeon as well as your insurance provider about whether it is elective or medically necessary, what is included in the cost, and what may be covered by your insurance.
It is important to note that most insurance companies will not pay for elective general anesthetic, so if you wish to be fully sedated but your dentist or oral surgeon does not recommend it, you will be paying for it out of pocket. Additionally, treatment from an oral surgeon may cost up to a third more than treatment from a general dentist.
With that said, cost should not be a deterrent to treatment for either your child or yourself—impacted or improperly erupted wisdom teeth can cause serious health complications down the road, and taking care of them early is an investment in long-term oral health. If you are worried about how you will pay for wisdom teeth removal, be candid with your dentist or oral surgeon. Many dental offices offer discounts for having all four removed at once, flexible payment plans, or other methods of making wisdom teeth extraction more affordable.