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Does dental insurance cover implants?

Q: How much are dental implants?

According to a national CareCredit survey,[efn_note]“ Dental Implants Cost and Procedure Guide ” CareCredit. Mar. 14, 2025[/efn_note] the average cost of a single tooth implant is $2,143 plus an additional $488 to $3,254 for the crown that gets attached to the implanted root.[efn_note]“ How Is a Crown Attached to an Implant as a Dental Implant Restoration? ” Advanced Dental Care of Hutto. Accessed Oct. 20, 2025[/efn_note] The price of a dental implant varies considerably depending on the oral surgeon, periodontist, and prosthodontist involved in the procedure. It also varies depending on the material that’s used for the implanted root and the prosthetic tooth.[efn_note]“ How Much Do Dental Implants Cost? Review Current Prices and Insurance Coverage ” GoodRx. Aug. 7, 2024[/efn_note] The total price also depends on whether bone grafting is required before the implant can be placed. More than half of all dental implants require bone grafting, which can range in cost from about $550 to more than $5,000, depending on the scope of the grafting that’s needed.[efn_note]“ Dental Bone Graft Cost and Procedure Guide ” CareCredit. Feb. 7, 2025[/efn_note] Given these prices, it’s easy to see how a dental policy that provides $1,000 or $1,500 in total annual benefits won’t cover the cost of even a single implant. If a policy does provide dental implant coverage, the patient will be responsible for any charges above the policy’s maximum benefit.

Author: Louise Norris | Date Posted: November 7, 2025

Dental coverage varies from one plan to another, but implants are often either explicitly excluded by the plan, or not covered because they’re considered cosmetic. In other words, the plan might cover a lower-cost tooth replacement alternative like a bridge or dentures, but not higher-cost dental implants.⁴

However, there are multiple treatment steps involved in getting a dental implant, including the initial consultation, removal of the damaged or diseased tooth, bone grafting, placement of the implant post in the jawbone, placement of additional hardware, the creation and attachment of the prosthetic tooth (crown), and additional follow-up care. A dental insurance policy may cover some aspects of this care, even if it won’t cover all of it.⁵

Depending on the policy, a covered major service might have a waiting period of several months before it’s covered. And it’s also common for covered major services to have a 50% coinsurance, meaning the plan will only pay half the cost, up to the plan’s benefit cap.⁶

Since dental policies vary greatly, you’ll need to look at the specific plan details to know whether dental implants are covered, or if certain aspects of the process can be covered. If so, you’ll need to check to see whether there’s a waiting period, how much the plan will pay in total annual benefits, and whether the plan will limit you to using in-network dental providers.

How much are dental implants?

According to a national CareCredit survey,⁷ the average cost of a single tooth implant is $2,143 plus an additional $488 to $3,254 for the crown that gets attached to the implanted root.⁸

The price of a dental implant varies considerably depending on the oral surgeon, periodontist, and prosthodontist involved in the procedure. It also varies depending on the material that’s used for the implanted root and the prosthetic tooth.⁹

The total price also depends on whether bone grafting is required before the implant can be placed. More than half of all dental implants require bone grafting, which can range in cost from about $550 to more than $5,000, depending on the scope of the grafting that’s needed.¹⁰

Given these prices, it’s easy to see how a dental policy that provides $1,000 or $1,500 in total annual benefits won’t cover the cost of even a single implant. If a policy does provide dental implant coverage, the patient will be responsible for any charges above the policy’s maximum benefit.

What are dental implants?

Dental implants are used to replace missing or damaged teeth. The majority of implants are endosteal implants, meaning they’re embedded directly in the jawbone.¹¹ A metal post is inserted into the jawbone to serve as an artificial tooth root, and a prosthetic tooth is attached to it.¹²

An endosteal implant consists of three parts:¹³

A post: generally made of titanium and drilled into the jawbone.
An abutment: A metal connector that attaches the prosthetic tooth to the post
A crown: The visible portion of the implant, made to look like a tooth

The process of getting a dental implant can take several months, or longer if bone grafting is necessary to support the implant post.¹³

In some cases, when there isn’t enough jawbone to anchor an implant, and when bone grafting isn’t an option, a subperiosteal or zygomatic implant might be used.¹⁴

Subperiosteal implants use a metal frame placed between the jawbone and the gum, and the prosthetic tooth is attached to the frame.
Zygomatic implants can be used to replace upper teeth. The implant is much longer than an endosteal implant, as it’s anchored into the facial bone instead of the jawbone.

There are also mini dental implants, which are less expensive than standard implants but less commonly used. And in cases where a patient needs a full set of new teeth, a complete arch (upper or lower) of teeth can be anchored on just four implant posts. This can be a good solution for a full set of teeth, but can cost upwards of $20,000 per arch.¹

How long do dental implants last?

The post and the abutment can potentially last a lifetime with proper care¹ although dental implants can sometimes fail and need to be replaced.¹⁵

The crown portion of a dental implant will likely need to be replaced within about 15 years,¹⁶ although this will vary from one crown to another.

Does Medicaid cover dental implants?

Dental implants are generally not covered by Medicaid, but it’s possible that they can be covered in very limited circumstances when they’re considered medically necessary.¹⁷

Medicaid benefits vary from one state to another. Adult dental benefits are optional, meaning states can choose whether or not to provide this coverage.¹⁸

Most states provide at least some dental benefits for adults enrolled in Medicaid, although some only provide emergency dental coverage.¹⁹

If you’re enrolled in Medicaid and looking for a solution to missing teeth, you can contact the Medicaid office in your state to learn what dental benefits are available to you.

Are dental plans ever required to cover implants?

No, dental plans are not required to cover implants. Although the Affordable Care Act set minimum coverage requirements²⁰ for individual and small group health insurance, and for pediatric dental coverage purchased in the health insurance Marketplace,* there are no specific requirements for adult dental coverage. So the coverage details vary from one plan to another, and there are no federal minimum requirements.

Through 2026, states have been prohibited from adding adult dental coverage to the state’s Essential Health Benefits (EHB) benchmark plan, which sets the minimum standards for the services that must be covered by individual and small group plans in the state.²¹

A 2024 rule change allows states the option of adding adult dental coverage to the state’s EHB benchmark plan starting in 2027. States may still choose to do this in 2028 or a future year, but no states opted to add adult dental to their EHB benchmark plan for the 2027 plan year. Kentucky had initially proposed doing so, with some routine services that would have been covered.²² But Kentucky ultimately dropped the proposal to add adult dental, likely because of the impact it would have had on premiums.²³

If a state were to add adult dental benefits to its EHB benchmark plan, that would set the requirements for coverage offered by individual and small group plans in the state. So a state could theoretically add dental implant coverage to its EHB benchmark plan, thus requiring plans to cover that service without a cap on how much the plan would pay in benefits (as is the case for all EHB).²⁰ But given that no states have yet moved forward with the addition of even basic adult dental benefits, widespread dental implant coverage as an EHB seems unlikely.

*Dental implants are rarely given to children, as the jaw must generally be fully grown to successfully place an implant.²⁴

Louise Norris is an individual health insurance broker who has been writing about health insurance and health reform since 2006. She has written hundreds of opinions and educational pieces about the Affordable Care Act for healthinsurance.org.