How Much Does a Dental Implant Cost in Australia?
The short answer.
CHOICE's 2023 fee guide puts placing one implant at $1,334 to $3,000, the abutment at $400 to $1,404 and a crown at $1,250 to $2,100. Added together that is roughly $3,000 to $6,500, before any bone graft, extraction or scan.
If you’ve searched “tooth implant cost Australia”, you’ll have seen that prices for a single implant vary widely. Most of the gap comes from how many teeth you’re replacing, whether your jaw needs building up first, and what each quote leaves out.
What a single implant costs
CHOICE’s dental fee guide (updated March 2023, using the ADA’s 2022 fee survey) prices each part of a single implant separately:
| Part | Fee range |
|---|---|
| Placing the implant | $1,334 to $3,000 |
| Abutment (connects the implant to the crown) | $400 to $1,404 |
| Crown | $1,250 to $2,100 |
| Total (our estimate) | roughly $3,000 to $6,500 |
Source: CHOICE, How much does the dentist cost?, March 2023. These are published Australian figures, not Dental Spot’s fees.
The crown figure is for a veneered crown on a natural tooth, the survey’s closest item to an implant crown. Fees depend on the treatment you need, so we give you an accurate quote at your consultation, before anything starts. Read about dental implants at Dental Spot in Croydon.
Why dental implant costs vary
Any Australian dentist can quote an initial ballpark figure, but the price rises if you need dental work before the implant, or a bone graft or sinus lift (another site). Your total depends on your own case.
Number of implants
Dental implants are cost-estimated per tooth. So the more teeth you need to replace, the higher the total price of dental implant treatment. However, if you need to replace an entire arch or several consecutive missing teeth, alternative dental implant treatment options are available.
All-on-4 dental implants use four strategically placed implants to support a denture. The dentist usually embeds two implants at the ends of the dental arch and two placed at an angle towards the centre of the jawbone. This is a faster and more affordable option than receiving single dental implants for each tooth.
Additional surgeries
In some cases, you may have insufficient jawbone tissue density to support an implant post. This is often the case when you have had teeth missing for several years and experienced significant bone resorption. If your dentist detects a lack of jawbone tissue, they may prescribe a bone graft surgery or sinus lift to build up the bone tissue before placing the implant.
What else changes the price
- Location: fees vary with where the practice is. Rent and wages cost more in Sydney than in many other places, and practices there may charge more to cover them. Compare like-for-like quotes from practices in neighbouring suburbs.
- Type of implant: there are around 200 independent implant manufacturers; Market Watch lists 147 of them. The leading brands spend heavily on research into materials, sizes and shapes, and that usually shows in the price.
- Dentist’s experience: implant techniques keep changing, and dentists pay for the training that keeps them current. That cost is usually part of the fee.
How to compare implant quotes
A low price isn’t always the full price. Some quotes cover the implant only and leave out the abutment, the crown or the surgery. Ask for a written quote that lists exactly what’s included:
- the consultation, X-rays and any CT scan;
- the implant post, the abutment and the crown;
- any extraction, bone graft or sinus lift;
- the follow-up visits during healing.
Some costs fall months apart, so it also helps to know how the treatment stages run.
Is an implant worth the cost?
An implant costs more up front than other ways to replace a tooth. With proper care it can last many years, which, depending on your age, can make dental implants cost-effective over time. Beyond the price:
- Bone: the implant replaces the tooth root, which may help prevent the bone loss (another site) that follows losing a tooth.
- Eating: implants make it easier to bite and chew, with no food restrictions once healed.
- Cleaning: you brush and floss implants like your natural teeth.
- Nothing to take out: implants are fixed in place, so there’s nothing to remove and soak at night.
Paying for your implant
Dental Spot in Croydon, NSW, takes credit cards, EFTPOS and direct transfer, and you can claim on the spot through HICAPS. Your treatment is with one of our dentists, and you get a written quote before anything starts.
This guide is general information, not advice about your own teeth. Your dentist can tell you what applies to you, including the risks of any treatment.
Any surgical or invasive procedure carries risks. Before proceeding, you should seek a second opinion from an appropriately qualified health practitioner.
