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What an implant fee usually includes

A single tooth implant fee is generally made up of these stages, each with its own item number:

• Initial consultation and assessment — examination, photographs, digital imaging, and a discussion of options.
• 3D imaging (CBCT scan) — used for almost all implant planning, separate from a standard X-ray.
• Any preparatory work — extraction of a tooth, a bone graft, or a sinus lift if needed.
• The implant fixture and its surgical placement — the titanium implant itself, the surgical visit, and the planning of the site.
• Healing period — usually no fee, just time.
• The abutment — the connector between the fixture and the crown.
• The final crown — the custom-made tooth that is fixed onto the abutment.
• Review appointments — usually included in the relevant stage.

Each of these is listed separately on your written plan, so you can see exactly what each component costs and check rebates with your fund stage by stage.

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What can affect your individual cost

Two patients with what looks like the “same” implant case can end up with quite different fees. The factors that affect the total include:

• Whether an extraction is needed as part of the case
• Whether a bone graft or sinus lift is required to provide enough bone
• The position of the implant in the mouth — back teeth, front teeth, and aesthetic cases can differ
• The implant system used and the brand of components
• The crown material — typically porcelain-fused-to-metal or all-ceramic/zirconia options
• Whether sedation or hospital admission is involved — these are charged separately by the relevant provider
• The complexity of the case — for example, multiple implants, full-arch work, or a difficult site

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Why we do not quote a single figure online

You may have seen “implants from $X” or similar headline figures elsewhere. We deliberately do not publish a price like that because it almost never tells the whole story — it usually leaves out things like 3D imaging, the abutment, the final crown, or any preparatory work. A fair quote is one that lists every stage and item number so you can compare like for like. We are happy to provide that in writing after your assessment.

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Payment

How health funds usually treat implants

Most Australian health funds list dental implants under major dental rather than general dental. In practical terms that usually means:

• You need higher-tier extras cover. Basic extras policies often do not include implants at all. Top or comprehensive extras typically do.
• Annual major dental limits apply. These can be exhausted by a single implant.
• Lifetime limits are common. Many policies cap how much they will pay toward implants, per tooth, per person, or in total.
• Waiting periods apply. Twelve months for major dental is typical, and some funds have longer waits specifically for implants.
• The rebate is usually a partial contribution rather than a full payout — a meaningful gap is the norm.

Our dedicated implants and your health fund page covers this in more depth and lists the questions worth asking your fund.

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HICAPS and how the rebate is processed

Sandgate Family Dental is a HICAPS provider, which means we can process any eligible rebate at the practice using your private health card. You pay the gap on the day. Because implant treatment is staged over several months, the HICAPS rebate is usually claimed at each visit rather than as a single payment at the end. We do not act as a “no gap” provider — implants almost always involve some out-of-pocket cost, regardless of the fund.

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If a benefit year resets during treatment

Because implant treatment is staged, sometimes the start of a new benefit year falls between stages. This can occasionally work in your favour — for example, if the imaging and surgery happen in one year and the abutment and crown in the next, you may have access to a fresh annual limit for the second half. We can flag this when we lay out the timeline.

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Hospital cover

Hospital cover only applies if part of the implant work is being done in a hospital under general anaesthetic — usually for complex cases or particular medical needs. Most implant work is done at the practice under local anaesthetic, in which case hospital cover does not apply. See our information on anxiety and comfort for how sedation pathways are usually handled.

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Medicare and the Child Dental Benefits Schedule

Routine implant treatment is not covered by Medicare for adults. The Child Dental Benefits Schedule for eligible children does not cover implants either. Implants are usually deferred for younger patients until jaw growth is complete.

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Payment

Payment options

For larger implant plans, we are happy to discuss payment options that spread the cost across the staged treatment timeline. Our payment options page explains what is available. We will not push you toward any particular finance provider, and we will be transparent about fees in writing before anything is committed.

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Payment

What to check when comparing implant quotes

Implant quotes are hard to compare because they do not always cover the same stages. Before you weigh one against another, check whether each quote includes:

• 3D imaging (CBCT). Used for almost all implant planning and charged separately from a standard X-ray.
• Any preparatory work. An extraction, a bone graft or a sinus lift changes the total substantially.
• The abutment. The connector between the fixture and the crown is a separate item, and is sometimes left out of a headline price.
• The final crown. A quote for the fixture alone is not a quote for a finished tooth.
• The material of the crown and the implant system being used.
• Review appointments and who provides them.
• Sedation or hospital fees if either applies, which are billed by the relevant provider rather than the practice.

A quote that lists every stage with its item number is the one you can actually compare, and the one your health fund can price. Ask for it in writing.

Questions worth asking your health fund

Once you have a written treatment plan from us, calling your fund with the item numbers in hand is the most useful next step. Useful questions include:

• “What is the rebate amount for item number X on my current cover?”
• “Do I have any waiting period remaining for major dental?”
• “What is my annual major dental limit, and how much of it is left this benefit year?”
• “Is there a lifetime limit on implants on my policy?”
• “Has any of that lifetime limit already been used?”
• “When does my benefit year reset?”

The fund is the only source that can confirm rebate amounts. Our role is to give you the item numbers and the plan so the call is productive.

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FAQs

Implant cost and funds FAQs

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Related pages

Sandgate Family Dental is on Lagoon Street, a short drive from Clontarf, Brighton and Boondall, and we see patients for dental implants from right across the bayside. Our North Brisbane dentist page lists the suburbs we serve.

Related pages

• Dental Implants in Sandgate
• Dental Implant Process and Timeline
• Single Tooth Implant
• Multiple Tooth Implants
• Implant-Supported Dentures
• Dental Implant Suitability