Dental costs in Michigan: how much a dentist costs
Observed negotiated prices across 41 treatments from 673 located dental practices in Michigan.
Observed prices in Michigan
| Treatment | Negotiated range Observed | Median | Spread | Practices (n) | Est. self-pay Estimated |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full braces, teenager | $3,305 – $4,444 | $4,200 | 471 | $4,200 – $4,800 | |
| Full braces, adult | $3,790 – $4,547 | $4,200 | 483 | $4,200 – $5,033 | |
| Implant post placed in the jaw | $1,326 – $1,805 | $1,523 | 620 | $1,523 – $2,120 | |
| Ceramic crown attached to an implant | $900 – $1,182 | $1,038 | 587 | $1,038 – $1,489 | |
| Partial lower denture with metal frame | $828 – $1,169 | $1,012 | 604 | $1,012 – $1,283 | |
| Partial upper denture with metal frame | $840 – $1,173 | $1,008 | 594 | $1,008 – $1,289 | |
| Ceramic crown on an implant abutment | $854 – $1,170 | $987 | 579 | $987 – $1,332 | |
| Full upper denture | $748 – $1,085 | $932 | 605 | $932 – $1,212 | |
| Full lower denture | $715 – $1,058 | $926 | 608 | $926 – $1,210 | |
| All-ceramic crown | $648 – $885 | $768 | 650 | $768 – $1,016 | |
| Root canal, molar | $658 – $872 | $742 | 663 | $742 – $969 | |
| Porcelain-and-metal crown | $626 – $826 | $730 | 657 | $730 – $958 | |
| Gum surgery (per quadrant) | $617 – $867 | $715 | 673 | $715 – $1,013 | |
| Porcelain veneer (per tooth) | $570 – $842 | $690 | 613 | $690 – $966 | |
| Bridge, porcelain-and-metal span unit | $573 – $800 | $684 | 671 | $684 – $887 | |
| Root canal, premolar | $505 – $673 | $597 | 668 | $597 – $770 | |
| Root canal, front tooth | $419 – $574 | $505 | 661 | $505 – $669 | |
| Bone graft at an implant site | $254 – $409 | $316 | 517 | $316 – $452 | |
| Fully-impacted wisdom tooth removal | $242 – $370 | $302 | 668 | $302 – $438 | |
| Hard night guard for grinding | $255 – $356 | $300 | 559 | $300 – $396 | |
| Partly-impacted wisdom tooth removal | $200 – $314 | $258 | 665 | $258 – $375 | |
| Surgical tooth extraction | $124 – $217 | $166 | 652 | $166 – $260 | |
| Core build-up under a crown | $125 – $200 | $154 | 650 | $154 – $225 | |
| Deep cleaning, four or more teeth per quadrant | $123 – $184 | $154 | 618 | $154 – $215 | |
| White filling, back tooth, two surfaces | $122 – $168 | $140 | 666 | $140 – $199 | |
| White filling, back tooth | $97 – $136 | $110 | 617 | $110 – $159 | |
| Silver filling, two surfaces | $90 – $129 | $105 | 665 | $105 – $154 | |
| Simple tooth extraction | $80 – $131 | $104 | 655 | $104 – $156 | |
| White filling, front tooth | $88 – $121 | $98 | 654 | $98 – $140 | |
| Deep cleaning, one to three teeth per quadrant | $75 – $124 | $97 | 627 | $97 – $154 | |
| Full-mouth X-ray series | $81 – $108 | $96 | 584 | $96 – $120 | |
| Ongoing gum maintenance cleaning | $76 – $107 | $89 | 630 | $89 – $132 | |
| Silver filling, one surface | $72 – $101 | $86 | 654 | $86 – $115 | |
| Adult teeth cleaning | $57 – $74 | $68 | 558 | $68 – $84 | |
| Emergency visit for dental pain | $49 – $82 | $62 | 657 | $62 – $104 | |
| Comprehensive exam (new patient) | $48 – $68 | $59 | 586 | $59 – $73 | |
| Child teeth cleaning | $44 – $55 | $48 | 570 | $48 – $58 | |
| Four bitewing X-rays | $38 – $52 | $44 | 592 | $44 – $54 | |
| Routine check-up (returning patient) | $31 – $43 | $38 | 588 | $38 – $48 | |
| Dental sealant (per tooth) | $32 – $42 | $35 | 665 | $35 – $44 | |
| Fluoride varnish treatment | $25 – $36 | $29 | 598 | $29 – $39 |
How Michigan compares nationally
Of the 41 treatments we can price in Michigan, 6 sit above the national median and 35 below. The widest gap downward is Surgical tooth extraction at $166 against a national $190 (13% lower); the widest upward is Routine check-up (returning patient) at $38 against $36 (6% higher).
Comparisons use the national distribution on each treatment page, which lists every state side by side.
What shopping around is worth in Michigan
Every figure on this site is a distribution, not an average, so the gap between the cheaper and dearer end of the local market can be stated in dollars. On Full braces, teenager alone, the difference between a practice at the 25th percentile and one at the 75th is $1,139. Across the 6 treatments below it comes to $3,396.
| Treatment | Lower end (25th) | Upper end (75th) | Gap | Practices (n) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full braces, teenager | $3,305 | $4,444 | $1,139 | 471 |
| Full braces, adult | $3,790 | $4,547 | $757 | 483 |
| Implant post placed in the jaw | $1,326 | $1,805 | $479 | 620 |
| Full lower denture | $715 | $1,058 | $343 | 608 |
| Partial lower denture with metal frame | $828 | $1,169 | $341 | 604 |
| Full upper denture | $748 | $1,085 | $337 | 605 |
This is an argument for collecting itemised written quotes rather than accepting the first, particularly on the larger items — see how to read a treatment plan.
Lower-cost care in Michigan
Michigan has 461 federally funded health centre sites that charge on a sliding scale based on income. For most uninsured patients these are the cheapest option available. The federal dataset does not record which sites provide dentistry, so call and ask about dental services before travelling. City pages below list the sites in each place.
Cities in Michigan
City pages are published only where at least 8 practices in that city carried a rate. 18 cities met that bar.
Other states
All states · All treatments · Methodology
Common questions
Are these the prices I would pay in Michigan without insurance?
No. These are negotiated rates between dental plans and contracted practices in Michigan. Uninsured patients are generally quoted at or above the top of each range. The estimated self-pay column is labelled as an estimate for exactly that reason — see the methodology.
How many Michigan practices is this based on?
Sample sizes are shown per treatment in the table above and range from 471 to 673 practices. We publish nothing below 15.
Why is a treatment missing from this page?
Because fewer than 15 located practices in Michigan carried a negotiated rate for it in our source files. We leave it out rather than scale a national average to look local.