Although sedation dentistry can be overwhelming when it comes to cost. However, it highly depends on the number of visits and the level of sedation required for the patient. The cost of dental sedation in particular is determined by the amount of time. These high costs are due to increased expenses such as equipment, licensing fees, sedation training, and credentialing.
Average Cost of Various Kinds of Dental Sedation
There are four kinds of dental sedation typically used. We will only discuss the costs of IV and general anesthesia due to their popularity.
- Oral sedatives such as Diazepam
- Inhalable sedation Nitrous Oxide which is also known as laughing gas
- Intravenous or IV Sedation
- General Anesthesia
Cost of IV Sedation
The most common kind used among them is IV sedation, which usually works for all patients until and unless there is an exceptional case for general anesthesia. Dr. Millwala at Katy Cypress Oral Surgery is well-versed in working with different levels of sedation seamlessly. He is also a member of the American Dental Society of Anesthesiology.
The cost of IV sedation is a lot higher than nitrous oxide, the cost for full IV sedation can be somewhere from $300 to $1000 further estimated by the time your dentist takes to complete the process, it can also be adjusted in the total cost of the procedure. For instance, if a patient requires 4 implants and 8 extractions, the cost of the procedure reaches thousands of dollars hence the dentist may not charge extra for IV sedation.
Price for General Anesthesia
This is hardly required in dentistry and is usually performed in a hospital setting with the collaborative effort of a dentist and anesthesiologist. The cost is typically $1200 per hour. It is performed in extremely sensitive cases where a patient needs to be put to deep sleep for example, in case of intense gag reflexes.
Effect of Insurance on Sedation Dentistry
Your cost structure of sedation dentistry also depends on your insurance coverage, location, and the dental team you choose for the procedure. Prices can vary from a few hundred dollars to a few thousand dollars. Light sedation, such as laughing gas and oral sedatives cost $200-$300 only. Sedation is always charged apart from the price of dental work and in most cases, sedation cost is not covered by your dental insurance plan. Dentists, usually collaborate with national organizations to provide financing choices.
You can ask for a consultation in case you need sedation dentistry for your dental work. Those insurance providers who offer coverage for sedation dentistry might have restrictions for time duration. For example, your insurance provider can pay for only the first hour of the sedation even if your procedure takes up to 2 hours.
Final Remarks
If you are a candidate for IV sedation and looking forward to sleeping through your dental anxieties. We at Katy Cypress Oral Surgery can help. Call us at 281-667-0607 and our office staff will answer how much does IV sedation cost in our facility and how long will your procedure take.