When you’re enrolling in Medicare, it’s important to understand everything it does and doesn’t cover — even for medical procedures that you may not anticipate happening to you. For instance, you can’t always predict if and when you may need a dental implant.
“People typically need dental implants when they have lost teeth due to decay, gum disease or trauma to the area,” says Shraddha Upadhyay, a dentist and health care specialist at McKinsey & Company.
Older people may also consider a dental implant if their dentures are slipping and preventing them from eating certain foods or if their bridge (a prosthetic device consisting of crowns and artificial teeth) needs to be replaced.
However, original Medicare (parts A and B) often doesn’t cover dental implants.
Some Medicare Advantage plans (Part C) may offer benefits for dental — including implants — as well as for vision and hearing needs, but coverage can vary widely, explains Natasha McPherson, owner of the Medicare brokerage, Medicarerocks.com.
Ahead, learn more about the type of coverage you can get on dental procedures with the most common types of Medicare plans.
[READ: Benefits Offered by Medicare Advantage]
What Are Dental Implants?
A dental implant is a medical device that replaces a missing tooth due to injury, disease, decay or genetics. Unlike removable dentures, implants are permanent and made up of three parts.
These three parts include:
1. A titanium screw surgically placed into the jawbone that acts like a tooth root
2. A connector (abutment) that attaches to the implant and extends above the gum line
3. A crown, or a custom-made replacement tooth that fits over the abutment to look and function like your natural teeth
Dental implants go beyond aesthetics — they can improve someone’s quality of life.
“Implants allow people to chew and speak effectively, maintain proper facial structure and prevent jawbone deterioration, which is a problem that occurs when teeth are missing,” Upadhyay says. “Implants essentially combine function, aesthetics and long-term oral health benefits.”
[READ: What to Look for in a Good Medicare Dental Plan]
Does Medicare Cover Dental Implants?
Unfortunately, original Medicare does not cover any dental services, including routine cleanings, fillings, tooth extractions or prosthetics or medical devices, such as dentures and implants.
“When Medicare was first established in 1965, it strictly focused on covering hospital and medical services. At the time, dental care was considered routine and not medically necessary, so it was excluded from coverage,” explains McPherson. “Sixty years later, research has consistently proven that oral health impacts overall health.”
Despite this, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has yet to expand original Medicare coverage to include routine dental benefits. However, there are exceptions to this rule, but they aren’t common.
“In rare cases, Medicare Part A might cover related dental work if it’s part of a medically necessary hospital stay, like reconstructive jaw surgery following a traumatic event,” says Dr. Alexander Wells, dentist and product marketing manager at Dandy, a digital dental lab.
If you have head and neck cancer and require dental care while receiving chemotherapy or radiation, Medicare Part A may cover it.
Some Medicare Advantage plans may cover implants, but benefits vary as these plans are offered by private insurance companies. In other words, it’s essential to read the plan’s benefit summary.
The following factors can delay or prevent a dental implant from being covered by a Medicare Advantage plan:
— Benefits often come with waiting periods. This is especially the case for major services, including implants. The waiting periods are often long or limited to one major service in general. For instance, someone may wait more than six months to receive benefits.
— Annual maximums. Often, there are annual caps on how much the plan will pay toward dental expenses.
— Limited provider networks under Medicare Advantage. This means you may not be able to see your preferred dentist for the dental implant procedure.
— Each Medicare Advantage plan is different. Because these plans are offered by private insurance companies, they all cover different things. What’s included in one plan may be completely excluded in another.
“Because of these caveats, it’s essential to work with a knowledgeable Medicare agent who can compare the fine print across plans and help you choose the option that actually meets your needs — not just one that looks good on the surface,” McPherson says.
[READ: Does Medicare Cover Dental in 2025? Benefits and Eligibility]
How Much Do Dental Implants Cost With Medicare?
Because Medicare plans often won’t cover dental procedures like dental implants, the estimated cost for just one tooth is anywhere between about $3,000 and $6,000, the American Academy of Implant Dentistry reports. Multiple tooth implants can cost anywhere from $6,000 to $10,000, according to various estimates. Replacing all of your teeth can cost you up to $90,000.
Even if you have Medicare Advantage, it usually only covers a portion of your implant cost. Keep in mind, the annual maximum caps are between $1,500 and $2,000, which only covers a fraction of one implant. Also, you need to meet your plan’s annual deductible before this coverage kicks in.
Options to Help Pay for Dental Implants
It can feel like all hope is lost when you’re trying to figure out ways to dodge a hefty dental bill. But you have options, and often, the procedure is more than worth it.
Here are some additional approaches you can take to get your dental implant covered when you’re on a Medicare plan.
— Use Medigap. Some carriers do include valuable discounts on dental, vision and hearing services. If you have a Medicare supplement plan (Medigap), check the portal online to get more insights into what discounts may be available to you.
— Buy a stand-alone dental insurance plan. Consider buying your own plan from Delta Dental, Cigna, MetLife or other reputable insurance agencies to offset major dental costs.
— Explore AARP dental plans. These can be pricey, but they are some of the most comprehensive options available, offering generous copays, minimal wait time for benefits and broad coverage of all types of dental care.
— Research dental discount plans. Also referred to as dental savings plans, these are membership programs that you pay an annual fee for to receive a range of dental services and treatments at a prenegotiated price.
— Look into dental schools. You can receive care from dentists who are in training (but supervised by credible faculty) for a fraction of the cost. In some instances, this care may be totally free. The only downside to this approach is that your procedure may take a lot more time than if you went to someone more qualified.
— Inquire about payment plans. You can always ask the front desk of your dentist’s office about financing plans; many offer monthly installment programs.
— Use your health savings accounts (HSA). If you contributed to an HSA account before enrolling in Medicare, you may be able to use those funds to pay for dental implants.
Find the Best Medicare Advantage and Medicare Part D Plans With U.S. News
If you opt for a Medicare Advantage plan to provide coverage for a dental implant, start your search for the right one with U.S. News’ Best Insurance Companies for Medicare Advantage 2025 and Best Medicare Part D Companies. You can also look for and compare Medicare Advantage, Medicare Part D, bundled Medicare Advantage and Part D plans and Medicare supplement plans near you with the U.S. News search and compare tool.
To determine the top-rated insurance companies, U.S. News consulted with Medicare experts to identify and weigh the most important quality measures for Medicare Advantage consumers, applied these weights to data from the CMS and then adjusted for enrollment.
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Does Medicare Cover Dental Implants? originally appeared on usnews.com
Update 01/05/26: This story was previously published at an earlier date and has been updated with new information.
