What it costs, and why
We do not publish a price list, because a number given before an exam is a guess. Here is what actually moves an estimate, and how to get yours.
What moves every dental estimate
Two people can be quoted very differently for what sounds like the same treatment. These are the reasons why.
How much tooth is left, and how far the problem has gone
A cavity caught at a checkup is a filling. The same tooth left alone for another year can need a root canal and a crown instead, which is a different piece of work entirely. Cost tracks the extent of the damage more closely than anything else on this list, and that is the main reason we keep pushing six-month visits.
The materials and the lab work you choose
Restorations are made from different materials, and some are shaped by hand in a dental lab while others are simpler. A crown or veneer built by a ceramist to match the shade and translucency of the teeth beside it involves more work than a stock alternative. We walk you through the options rather than picking for you.
How many visits and how much chair time
Some treatment is finished in one appointment. Other plans run across months, with imaging, a surgical stage, healing time, and a final restoration, each of which is its own visit. Sedation, if you want it, adds time as well. Longer and more complex cases cost more, and your estimate lays those stages out separately.
What your particular plan covers
Two patients can have identical treatment and owe different amounts, because their plans are different. Your deductible, your annual maximum, waiting periods, frequency limits, and whether the treatment sits in the preventive, restorative, or cosmetic category all change the arithmetic. This is why we verify your benefits before quoting rather than after.
What drives the number for each one
Cleaning & Exam
Treatment pageA routine cleaning and exam is the most predictable appointment in dentistry to quote, because the work is broadly the same each time.
What changes the price
- Whether you are a new patient needing a full set of digital X-rays or coming back for a routine recall
- How much buildup there is, and whether a deep cleaning below the gumline is recommended instead
- Extras such as fluoride or sealants, most often for children
Insurance: Preventive care is the category dental plans tend to cover at a higher level than restorative work, and some cover it before your deductible applies. The number of cleanings allowed each year still varies by plan, so we verify your benefits before the visit.
Dental Implants
Treatment pageAn implant is quoted as a sequence of stages rather than a single procedure, and not every patient needs every stage.
What changes the price
- How many teeth you are replacing, from a single implant to a full arch
- Whether an extraction or a bone graft has to happen before the post can be placed
- The materials and lab work behind the abutment and the final crown
Insurance: Plans vary more on implants than on almost anything else. Some treat them as a covered restorative benefit, some exclude them, and some pay toward a bridge instead. We read your policy before the surgical stage, and CareCredit financing is available for larger cases.
Porcelain Veneers & Lumineers
Treatment pageVeneers are quoted per tooth and then as a whole case, since most plans cover several teeth across the visible smile line.
What changes the price
- How many teeth are being veneered
- Whether you choose traditional porcelain veneers or minimal-prep Lumineers
- The shaping and lab work needed to match shade, shape, and translucency
Insurance: Veneers are cosmetic, so dental plans typically do not contribute toward them. If a tooth in the plan also needs restorative treatment, that part may be treated differently, and your estimate separates the two. CareCredit financing is available.
Orthodontics & Braces
Treatment pageOrthodontic treatment is quoted for the whole course rather than per visit, so the length and difficulty of your case set the number.
What changes the price
- How far your teeth and bite have to move, which decides how long treatment runs
- Whether you choose metal braces, clear braces, or Invisalign aligners
- Retainers and any refinement trays once the main course of treatment ends
Insurance: Many plans carry a separate orthodontic benefit with its own lifetime limit, and some apply it only to patients under a certain age. Because those terms differ from the rest of your dental coverage, we check them carefully before quoting the case.
Teeth Whitening
Treatment pageWhitening is straightforward to quote, because the choice is mainly between an in-office session and custom take-home trays.
What changes the price
- In-office Zoom whitening or custom take-home trays
- Whether a cleaning is needed first to clear buildup
- Whether you want spare trays for touch-ups later on
Insurance: Whitening is cosmetic, so plans very rarely contribute anything toward it. Most patients pay for it directly, and CareCredit can be used if you are combining whitening with other treatment.
Root Canal
Treatment pageA root canal is usually quoted together with the crown that protects the tooth afterwards, because the two belong to the same repair.
What changes the price
- Which tooth it is, since molars have more canals than front teeth
- Whether the tooth needs a post and core built up before the crown goes on
- The crown material and lab work chosen to restore the tooth
Insurance: Root canal therapy is restorative, and most plans contribute something toward it, though your deductible, annual maximum, and any waiting period all affect what is left for you. We verify benefits and hand you a written estimate before treatment starts.
Dental Emergency
Treatment pageAn emergency visit is quoted in two parts: the exam and X-rays that identify the problem, then whatever treatment those findings point to.
What changes the price
- Whether the visit ends with pain relief and a plan, or with treatment done the same day
- What the treatment turns out to be, from a filling to a root canal or an extraction
- Whether the tooth needs a temporary repair before the permanent one
Insurance: Emergency exams and X-rays are commonly covered as diagnostic care, while the treatment that follows is covered under whatever category it belongs to. That still depends on your plan, so we check your benefits before going beyond the exam.
Cosmetic Dentistry
Treatment pageA smile makeover is a combination of treatments, so the estimate is built up from the pieces you decide to include.
What changes the price
- Which treatments the plan combines, such as whitening, bonding, veneers, or Invisalign
- How many teeth fall inside the visible smile line
- Whether health problems such as decay or gum disease need treating first
Insurance: Cosmetic work is typically excluded from dental coverage, though treatment done for health reasons alongside it may be another matter. We split the estimate so you can see which parts your plan might consider, and CareCredit financing is available.
One call, and we will check your plan
Give the front desk your plan name and member ID and we verify your benefits before you come in. After the exam you get a written estimate showing what your plan is expected to cover and what is left for you. Nothing starts until you have seen it.
Why aren’t your prices listed on the website?
Because a price given before an exam is a guess. Two people with what looks like the same broken tooth can need very different treatment once we see the X-ray, and a number posted online would set the wrong expectation for one of them. What you get instead is a written estimate before treatment starts, with your benefits already checked against it.
How do I get an estimate for my treatment?
Book an exam, and the estimate follows from it. We look at the tooth, take digital X-rays where they are needed, and then write out the recommended treatment with the cost of each stage. If you already have a treatment plan in hand, bring it and we will go through it with you. Call (310) 855-2434 to arrange a visit.
Do you offer payment plans?
Yes, through CareCredit, which is the financing we use for larger cases such as implants, full veneer cases, and orthodontics. You apply with CareCredit directly, then use it here like any other method of payment. We can also stage treatment across appointments so the work is spread out rather than paid for all at once.
What if the plan changes partway through treatment?
We stop and re-quote before doing anything that was not on the original estimate. Teeth occasionally turn out to need more than the X-ray showed, a filling that becomes a root canal being the common example. If that happens, you hear about it in the chair, with the revised cost and your options, before we carry on.
Do you take my insurance?
We accept most major PPO plans and file the claims for you as a courtesy. Whether yours is one of them, and what it actually pays toward the treatment you need, is worth knowing before you book rather than after. Call (310) 855-2434 with your plan details and the front desk will look it up for you.
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