Worked Estimates and Checklists
Single dental implant cost: a worked example from extraction to crown
An illustrative single-implant cost in Canada built stage by stage, with three scenarios, insurance and tax credit arithmetic, and a payment timeline you can adapt.
To price a single implant, add up each stage on your treatment plan: assessment and imaging, any extraction and graft, implant surgery, the abutment, the crown and its lab fee, then subtract what any plan pays and estimate the tax credit. In the illustrative example below, a lower molar implant comes to $5,930 before coverage, about $3,930 after an illustrative group plan payment, and roughly $3,510 after federal and provincial medical expense tax credits in one plausible scenario. Your numbers will differ by province, provider and case. This is cost information, not clinical advice.
This guide is part of the guide to reading a dental treatment estimate. All figures are illustrative.
The scenario
An adult in Ontario has a cracked lower first molar that cannot be saved. The dentist proposes extraction with a bone graft, an implant after healing, and a zirconia crown. The implant surgery will be done by a periodontist; the crown by the general dentist.
Stage-by-stage costs (illustrative)
| Stage | Timing | Provider | Fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Consultation and cone-beam CT | Month 0 | Periodontist | $400 |
| Surgical extraction with bone graft | Month 0 | Periodontist | $1,030 |
| Implant placement | Month 4 | Periodontist | $2,300 |
| Follow-up and uncovering | Month 7 | Periodontist | Included |
| Custom abutment (fee $450, lab $350) | Month 8 | General dentist | $800 |
| Zirconia crown (fee $1,100, lab $300) | Month 8 | General dentist | $1,400 |
| Total | $5,930 |
Sum: $400 + $1,030 + $2,300 + $800 + $1,400 = $5,930.
Three variations
| Variation | Change | New total |
|---|---|---|
| No extraction needed (gap healed long ago), no graft | − $1,030 | $4,900 |
| Upper molar needing a sinus lift (illustrative $1,500) | + $1,500 | $7,430 |
| Stock abutment and porcelain-fused-to-metal crown, lab fees $250 lower | − $250 | $5,680 |
Put any of these into the implant cost estimator: quantity 1, low and high per implant from your estimate, and the extraction and graft as a one-time extra.
With a group dental plan
Illustrative plan: basic services at 80%, major services including implants at 50%, $25 deductible, $2,000 annual maximum, current-year fee guide. Assume the plan treats the CT at 80%, the extraction and graft at 80%, and the implant, abutment and crown at 50%. Everything falls in the same benefit year.
| Line | Fee | Plan share |
|---|---|---|
| Consultation and CT | $400 | 80% of ($400 − $25 deductible) = $300 |
| Extraction and graft | $1,030 | 80% × $1,030 = $824 |
| Implant | $2,300 | 50% × $2,300 = $1,150 |
| Abutment and crown | $2,200 | 50% × $2,200 = $1,100 |
| Total before maximum | $5,930 | $3,374 |
The plan's share ($3,374) is above the $2,000 maximum, so the plan pays $2,000. Note that the stages run from month 0 to month 8. If the benefit year resets between the implant surgery and the crown, the crown and abutment fall into a new year with a fresh maximum. See splitting an implant across two benefit years.
Staying with one benefit year: you pay $5,930 − $2,000 = $3,930. In this example the fees equal the eligible amounts; if your plan uses an older fee guide, add the difference.
If the plan instead applies an alternate benefit and pays the implant stages as if a bridge or denture were placed, the result can be lower; see whether dental insurance covers implants.
For a CDCP member
The CDCP excludes implants, implant-related procedures and bone grafts. It could cover parts such as an exam, X-rays and the extraction at CDCP fees under its rules, but not the graft, implant, abutment or crown. With an illustrative CDCP-covered extraction and exam worth $500, a member in the 0% tier would still pay about $5,930 − $500 = $5,430, plus any extra charges.
The tax credit (illustrative)
The federal medical expense tax credit is 15% of eligible unreimbursed expenses above a threshold (for 2025, the lesser of 3% of net income or $2,834). Implants and general dental services qualify; purely cosmetic procedures do not.
Using the group plan case: unreimbursed cost $3,930. Net income $60,000, so 3% = $1,800, which is below $2,834; the threshold is $1,800.
- Eligible amount above threshold: $3,930 − $1,800 = $2,130
- Federal credit: 15% × $2,130 = about $320
Provinces and territories add their own non-refundable credits at their own rates and thresholds, and Quebec has a separate credit. If the provincial credit added roughly $100 in this scenario, the net cost after both credits would be about $3,930 − $320 − $100 = $3,510. Timing matters, because the credit uses any 12-month period ending in the tax year; see timing dental payments for the tax credit.
Payment timeline
| When | Pay (illustrative) |
|---|---|
| Month 0: consultation, CT, extraction, graft | $1,430 |
| Month 4: implant placement | $2,300 |
| Month 8: abutment and crown | $2,200 |
Staged payments may let you avoid financing. If you need to finance, compare offers with the dental financing calculator.
FAQ
Why are there two dental offices in my plan?
Many general dentists refer implant surgery to a periodontist or oral surgeon and restore the implant themselves. Each office bills its own part.
Should I wait for my benefit year to reset?
Possibly, if clinically acceptable. Ask your dentist whether the timing is flexible and ask your insurer when your year resets.
Is the bone graft optional?
It depends on your bone. Ask your dentist why it is recommended and what happens without it.
Will my estimate change after the CT scan?
It can. The scan may show more or less bone than expected, which can change grafting needs.
Sources
- Canada Revenue Agency: eligible medical expenses — threshold and eligible dental expenses
- Canadian Dental Care Plan — exclusions for implants and bone grafts
- Royal College of Dental Surgeons of Ontario — fees and consent in Ontario
- Revenu Québec — Quebec's medical expense credit
