18 Jul Singapore Dental Implant Cost: What to Expect
In the world of dentistry today, there’s a lot of unknown factors where dental implant costs are concerned.
When you buy a car, you want to know exactly what you’re paying for – be it the car make and country of origin, OMV/COE price, or fuel-efficiency. For instance, a 4 series BMW coupe, will naturally cost much more than a Mazda sedan.
The same transparency doesn’t apply to dental implant costs in Singapore:
- Why do dental implants in Singapore cost range from $1,250 – $15,000?
- What exactly are you getting for the fees you are paying for your dental implant?
- How much Medisave can you claim?
This post will reveal all the insider pricing information for dental implants that only dentists know about. It will help you make a well-informed decision about dental implants in Singapore.
Before you start, you need to find a dentist you are comfortable with.
- How much do dental implants cost in Singapore?
Dental implant costs in Singapore range from around $4,000 – $6,000 in total for a routine non-complex case. Most dentists will be happy to give you free cost estimates. The fee you pay is Medisave claimable, up to a limit of $1,250 for one dental implant.
The Ministry of Health website also provides a rough estimate of dental implant costs in Singapore. As of 2015, public hospitals charge $1,600 – $1,944 per surgical implant fixture placement. Private private clinics on the other hand can charge around $2,000 – $4,815.
These costs are for the implant surgery alone and do not include any associated costs as broken down for you below.
- Dental implant surgery cost breakdown in Singapore
What are you paying for in the final price for a dental implant?
Here’s an example of a bill breakdown:
| PROCEDURE | COST |
| Consultation | $40 – $80 |
| X-ray | $80 – $120 |
| CT scan (if required) | $350 – $500 |
| Tooth models (if required) | $100 – $250 |
| Surgical guides (if required) | $350 – $800 |
| Bone grafting (if required) | $800 – $2000 |
| Sinus lifting (if required) | $1000 – $3500 |
| Dental implant crown | $1000 – $3000 |
| Dental implant surgery | $2000 – $4000 |
| Medication | $35 – $80 |
A surgical guide is a piece of guiding plastic that’s placed in the mouth during surgery. This will enable dentists to place the dental implant in the right angle.
Bone grafts are required when there isn’t enough healthy bone to place the dental implant. The cost will vary based on how much bone graft will be required.
Sinus lifting is a bone-grafting procedure that’s aimed to increase the amount of healthy bone to place the dental implant.
- What accounts for the difference in dental implant costs?
The cost of a single dental implant in Singapore can range from $1,250 to a staggering $15,000. As you can see from the breakdown in 2, additional procedures can increase the cost significantly (eg. whether bone grafting is needed).
Other factors that can affect the total cost include:
- Your expectations: would you prefer a natural-looking result over a functional “tooth replacement?”
- Your dentist: a vastly experienced and skilful dentist will be significantly more expensive
- Lab fees: modelling and crafting of required dental implant materials
- Brand of dental implant: Korean vs European brands
- Pain relief: Local anaesthesia vs IV sedation vs general anaesthesia
If anything, there is no one size fits all solution for dental implant surgery.
- What’s in a $1,250 vs $15,000 dental implant?
Some of my patients are the perfect candidates for dental implant procedures. They have good oral health, and ideal gum and bone quality to place the dental implant. This means the procedure will be straightforward and hence cheaper.
However, some patients have pre-existing problems, which often requires additional costly procedures. Do note that more expensive doesn’t always mean better! It would be helpful to discuss the proposed treatment plan with your dentist so you will have a clear understanding of what you will be paying for.
If in doubt, don’t hesitate to seek a second opinion. A different dentist may be able to provide an alternative treatment approach that will suit your expectations.
- “I’m not convinced why a dental implant surgery can cost $15,000”
A costly dental implant case is often attributed to the following patient factors:
- Extreme dental anxiety requiring general anaesthesia
- Complex medical/dental histories, eg: previous failed dental implant surgery or diabetes
- Long-standing missing tooth, which can result in significant bone and gum loss
- High aesthetic requirements
For instance, the best crowns are made with many layers of custom colouring, so that it exactly mimics the colour, shape, and texture of the neighbouring teeth. This task will require a highly skilled lab technician.
Your dentist may decide to have the crown made by a world-famous ceramist based in USA/Japan/ Europe. The lab fees for this alone could cost as much as $2,000 – $3,000.
- Why are some dental implants in Singapore so cheap?
The cheapest dental implants advertised in Singapore are usually mini-implants.
On average, mini dental implant surgery costs about $700 – $1,500. These type of surgeries are inexpensive because they are reserved for very simple cases. Mini implants are NOT substitutes for “normal” dental implants. Conventional dental implants are much stronger as they provide a larger surface area to bond with the bone.
- How much Medisave can I use for dental implants?
| Medisave limit | |
| 1 dental implant | $1250 |
| 8 dental implants | $7500 |
You can usually claim up to $1,250 in Medisave for one dental implant, subject to a maximum of $7,500 for 8 implants. No dentist can guarantee the success of any Medisave claim. We can only submit the request, but the final claimable amount is still subject to the approval of MOH.
To make a Medisave claim, just bring your Singaporean Identity Card to prove that you are a Singaporean Citizen or Permanent Resident. The clinic staff will do the rest, including submitting all the needed paperwork.
- Are there any discounts for dental implants in Singapore?
Certain scenarios where you may be able to get some subsidies include:
- Personal accident insurance claims if your tooth is lost due to an accident
- Your dental implant surgery is used as a lecture/study case
- Discretionary courtesy discounts for long-standing patients
You can always seek out a free quote estimate from a few dentists to get a better insight into the cost.
