Are Dental Implants Covered by Private Health Insurance?
Are Dental Implants Covered by Private Health Insurance?
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Long story short
Dental implants are an alternative to dentures if you’re looking to replace a missing or damaged tooth
They’re attached to your jawbone, and they can last a decade or more.
They can be expensive; the average cost for a single implant is around $8,0001National Dental Foundation – How Much Does a Dental Implant Cost in Australia?
How much your dental implants will cost can depend on a range of factors, including how many you need.
Medicare isn’t likely to pay for your dental implants, but your health insurance could cover some of the costs
An extras policy with major dental may be just the ticket.
What are dental implants?
Dental implants are small titanium metal screws. These are placed into your jawbone (while you’re enjoying some local anaesthetic, thankfully!). Your dentist can then add a false tooth on top of the implant to replace a missing or damaged tooth.
Unlike dentures, dental implants aren’t removeable (if you had any practical jokes planned, we’re sorry). They also don’t run the risk of needing to be relined or refitted over time. In fact, if you look after your dental implants well, you can get 10 years or more out of them.
Getting your implants can be a tricky process, often requiring multiple visits to your dentist. They’re also not always a viable option for everyone. You need to have generally healthy surrounding bone and gums to support the implant.
But if you’re a good candidate, your new implant could give you a confidence boost while making it easier to eat.
How much do dental implants cost?
You didn’t pay anything for your original teeth; unfortunately, it’s a different story if you’re after implants.
A single implant with a crown (false tooth) could cost you anywhere between $2,500 and $4,500,2As above depending on the complexity of your case and the quality of the implant. Generally, the average procedure cost comes closer to $8,000, indicating that perhaps people are getting a couple of implants done at once.
While this price may seem steep, it’s important to remember that a great deal of skill is required to pull off a successful dental implant. From drilling into bone to carefully crafting a tooth that looks indistinguishable from your natural teeth, it’s a big job. Similarly, you want to be using quality materials that can handle the stress and strain of being a tooth. It all adds up in the end.
The high price tag could be excellent motivation to look after your implants and really get value for your money.
Are dental implants covered through Medicare?
On the topic of money, you’re likely to be out of luck if you’re hoping Medicare can help foot the bill for your dental implants. For most people, dental care just isn’t covered by the national system, so you’ll need to find an alternative means to fund your procedure.
Are dental implants covered by private health insurance?
While Medicare may not be able to help, your private health insurance could take care of some of the bill. It depends on what your policy covers. You’ll want to check your extras policy and keep an eye out for any cover for major dental. It could be time to refamiliarise yourself with the policy brochure.
Remember that cover for major dental will come with waiting periods. Generally, you’ll need to sit tight for 12 months before you can start claiming. However, there might be other extras you can claim sooner while you wait for your day in the dentist’s chair to come.
Helpful tip:

If you’re looking for dental insurance, including for implants, you’ll need to get familiar with the terms ‘general dental’ and ‘major dental’, along with the procedures they tend to cover.
You can think of general dental as your routine dental work, like check-ups and cleans, along with X-rays and sometimes even simple fillings.
Major dental health insurance, however, covers the procedures you (hopefully) won’t be undergoing every time you see the dentist. This includes complex fillings, crowns, veneers, dentures, and, of course, dental implants.
Andres Gutierrez
General Manager – Health
How can I make the most of dental extras cover?
If dental implants are your main reason for taking out health insurance, knowing how to get the most value out of your policy could really matter. Especially as you’re staring down the barrel of a 12-month waiting period.
Use your health insurance to see the dentist regularly.
Prevention is better than the cure, particularly with your teeth. Regular check-ups (twice a year is the general recommendation) could mean you need fewer major dental procedures in the long run.
Understand what you’re covered for.
Whether it’s double-checking the exact wording for your dental implant cover or getting to know what else you’re paying for, this could help you ensure you’re using your cover at every opportunity.
Know your extras benefits limits and when they reset.
Your annual extras limits – how much you can claim on extras until you hit the cap – reset every 12 months. This could be every 1 January, 1 July, or on another date. Learning when this is could help you strategically schedule your appointments to make the most of your full limit.
Look for no-gap dental policies.
While getting something back is certainly better than getting nothing back, no-gap dental policies mean you could visit the dentist and have it all covered by your insurer. If you’ve got a no-gap policy, you may want to make it a priority to use it regularly.
Where can I find and compare health insurance?
Finding health insurance shouldn’t be as complicated as dental implant surgery. That’s why iSelect is here to help.
If a toothache has woken you up in the middle of the night, you can easily compare health insurance policies online, no matter the hour, with our comparison tool. Alternatively, if you prefer to compare over the phone (and once the rest of the world has woken up), our health comparison experts are available on 1800 784 772.
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- 1.National Dental Foundation – How Much Does a Dental Implant Cost in Australia?
- 2.