What the TRICARE Dental Program Pays for Each Procedure
TRICARE dental covers braces and implants at 50% of the allowable charge, root canals at 60% or 70%, and crowns at 80% or 50%. At Rank and Pay, we publish plain-language guides on military pay and benefits, and we calculate every dollar example straight from TRICARE's published cost shares and plan maximums. The TDP's payments stop at a $1,500 annual maximum, and braces have a separate $1,750 lifetime maximum, so braces and implants usually leave you a large balance.
The TRICARE Dental Program (TDP) sets its rates in three columns. Enrollees in the continental United States (CONUS) pay by pay grade, either E-1 to E-4 or E-5 and above. Command-sponsored enrollees outside the continental United States (OCONUS) pay 0% for most services and 50% for implants, braces, prosthodontic work and other restorative work.
Our TDP enrollment and eligibility guide covers who can join. The table below shows the TDP's share of the allowable charge for root canals, crowns, implants and braces.
| Procedure | TDP cost-share row | TDP pays, CONUS E-1 to E-4 | TDP pays, CONUS E-5 and above | Cap that applies |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Root canal | Endodontic | 70% | 60% | $1,500 annual maximum |
| Crown | Basic restorative, or other restorative / prosthodontic | 80% or 50% | 80% or 50% | $1,500 annual maximum |
| Implant | Implant services | 50% | 50% | $1,500 annual maximum |
| Braces | Orthodontic | 50% | 50% | $1,750 lifetime maximum |
We map "root canal" to the Endodontic row because the TDP Handbook lists certain root canal procedures as endodontic services. The cost-share table does not say which row a crown takes, and the TDP Handbook lists crowns under both restorative and prosthodontic services. Before treatment, ask United Concordia, which pays TDP claims, how your crown will be classed.
Restorative coverage applies to decay, fracture, attrition, erosion, abrasion, or congenital or developmental defects. The TDP Handbook says it does not apply to work done for cosmetic reasons.
Full TDP Cost-Share Table
TRICARE publishes each cost share as the part you pay, and the TDP pays the rest of the allowable charge. A 0% row means you owe none of the allowable charge. Services that count toward the $1,500 annual maximum stop being paid once it is used up.
| Service | You pay, CONUS E-1 to E-4 | You pay, CONUS E-5 and above | You pay, OCONUS command-sponsored |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diagnostic, preventive, sealants | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Consultation or office visit, post-surgical services | 20% | 20% | 0% |
| Basic restorative | 20% | 20% | 0% |
| Endodontic (includes root canals) | 30% | 40% | 0% |
| Periodontic | 30% | 40% | 0% |
| Oral surgery (includes impacted wisdom tooth removal) | 30% | 40% | 0% |
| General anesthesia | 40% | 40% | 0% |
| Intravenous sedation | 50% | 50% | 0% |
| Miscellaneous (occlusal guard, athletic mouth guard) | 50% | 50% | 0% |
| Other restorative | 50% | 50% | 50% |
| Implant services | 50% | 50% | 50% |
| Prosthodontic | 50% | 50% | 50% |
| Orthodontic | 50% | 50% | 50% |
Two footnotes on the TRICARE table change who pays what. Selected Reserve and Individual Ready Reserve members (other than the Special Mobilization Category) and their families pay the CONUS cost shares, because the OCONUS column does not apply to them. The TDP fully covers posterior space maintainers for enrollees under age 19.
The Maximums That Cap What the TDP Pays
Three dollar caps limit what the TDP pays per person, whatever the cost share. After a cap is reached, the TDP pays $0 for services under that cap until the period ends.
- $1,500 annual maximum for non-orthodontic services, per person, per contract year. Some diagnostic and preventive services do not count toward it, and unused amounts do not carry over.
- $1,750 lifetime orthodontic maximum per person. Orthodontic diagnostic services count toward the $1,500 annual maximum instead.
- $1,200 annual accident care maximum per person, per contract year. It covers accident care only, and none of this page's dollar examples draw on it.
Root canals, crowns and implants all draw on the same $1,500, so one large bill early in the contract year can leave little for a crown or filling later. TRICARE's plan maximums page does not give contract-year dates. Look up your start and end dates in the TDP Handbook or on the United Concordia TDP site.
What You Pay in Dollars for Each Procedure
A 50% share on a large bill reaches a cap fast, so braces and implants leave the largest balances. In our internal cost analysis, we modeled example allowable charges against the official cost shares and maximums to see what you would pay. On the TDP Handbook's own $4,000 braces example, the TDP pays $1,750 and you owe $2,250, and the table below shows every input.
| Procedure | Allowable charge | Your cost share | TDP pays | You pay |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Root canal, E-1 to E-4 | $1,000 | 30% | $700 | $300 |
| Root canal, E-5 and above | $1,000 | 40% | $600 | $400 |
| Crown, E-5 and above, classed basic restorative | $1,200 | 20% | $960 | $240 |
| Crown, E-5 and above, classed other restorative or prosthodontic | $1,200 | 50% | $600 | $600 |
| Implant services | $3,000 | 50% | $1,500 | $1,500 |
| Braces | $3,000 | 50% | $1,500 | $1,500 |
| Braces (TDP Handbook example) | $4,000 | 50%, capped at $1,750 | $1,750 | $2,250 |
| Braces | $6,000 | 50%, capped at $1,750 | $1,750 | $4,250 |
The charges are hypothetical allowable charges. They are not quotes from a dentist, and each row assumes one CONUS enrollee, one contract year and no earlier use of the maximums. Network dentists accept the allowable charge, while a non-network dentist can bill above it and you pay the difference.
The $3,000 implant row uses the whole $1,500 annual maximum in one procedure. Any other non-orthodontic care that contract year would be paid at $0 by the TDP. In the $6,000 braces row, 50% would be $3,000, but the $1,750 lifetime cap holds the TDP's payment to $1,750 and leaves you $4,250.
When Part of the Annual Maximum Is Used
Your cost share predicts your bill only while some of the annual maximum is left.
- With $1,200 of the annual maximum already used, a $1,000 root canal at E-5 and above gets $300 from the TDP, and you owe $700 instead of $400.
- With the annual maximum used up, a $1,200 crown gets $0 from the TDP, and you owe $1,200 whichever cost-share row it takes.
If you are planning more than one large procedure in a contract year, ask United Concordia how much of your annual maximum is left before you book the second one.
How TRICARE Dental Covers Braces for Spouses and Children
TRICARE dental covers braces for enrolled family members inside set age limits, paying 50% of the allowable charge up to a $1,750 lifetime maximum per person. The Air Force orthodontic coverage guide and TRICARE's cost-share footnotes set these age limits:
- Children up to age 21, or up to 23 if they are full-time students.
- Spouses up to age 23.
- National Guard and Reserve sponsors up to age 23.
Eligibility must show in the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System (DEERS). The covered orthodontic items named are diagnostic casts, certain appliances such as braces, and retainers. Orthodontic diagnostic services count toward the $1,500 annual maximum instead of the $1,750 lifetime maximum.
How the TDP Pays Over the Course of Treatment
United Concordia pays braces claims in stages unless the case is short or small.
- One lump sum when treatment is expected to take under 6 months, or longer than 6 months with United Concordia's share under $500.
- Otherwise, 25% of the payable amount when the braces are put on, then the other 75% in equal interval payments.
- Interval payments come quarterly if treatment started on or after Aug. 1, 2025, and monthly if it started before that date.
Take the TDP Handbook's $4,000 example, where the TDP pays $1,750. If the payable amount is that $1,750, the TDP would pay $437.50 when the braces go on (25%). The other $1,312.50 (75%) would be spread across the later payments. You must stay enrolled in the TDP in every month a payment is made. If the patient turns 21 or 23 during treatment, payments are based on the eligible months only.
Submit the claim right after orthodontic treatment starts. Every TDP claim must be submitted within 12 months of the date of service.
What the Official Table Says About Implants
The TDP pays 50% of the allowable charge for implant services in every column, including command-sponsored OCONUS enrollees. The TDP Handbook lists certain recementation, dental implants and implant-supported prosthesis repair as implant services. Implant work draws on the $1,500 annual maximum, which is why the $3,000 example above leaves nothing for the rest of the contract year.
The TRICARE cost-share table does not state frequency limits, pre-approval rules or exclusions for implants. Those details sit in the TDP Handbook and on the United Concordia TDP site, so read both before you agree to treatment. Ask your dentist to name the exact implant service, then ask United Concordia whether the benefits booklet covers it.
TRICARE Dental Premiums for 2026 to 2027
Monthly TDP premiums run from $8.79 to $87.90, depending on sponsor status, pay grade and who is covered. These rates took effect March 1, 2026, and run through Feb. 28, 2027.
Active Duty Family Members
| Coverage | E-4 and below | E-5 and above |
|---|---|---|
| Single | $8.79 | $11.72 |
| Family | $22.85 | $30.47 |
Selected Reserve and Individual Ready Reserve (Mobilization Only)
| Coverage | E-4 and below | E-5 and above |
|---|---|---|
| Sponsor only | $8.79 | $11.72 |
| Single | $29.30 | $29.30 |
| Family | $76.18 | $76.18 |
| Sponsor and family | $84.87 | $87.90 |
Over a full year, single coverage for an active duty family member at E-5 and above costs $140.64 ($11.72 × 12). Family coverage at the same grade costs $365.64 ($30.47 × 12).
Who This Is Not For
These cost shares and premiums apply only to people who can enroll in the TDP, and several groups fall outside them or need a different column.
- Active-duty sponsors: active-duty service members cannot enroll in the TDP themselves. Their family members can, and our TDP enrollment guide walks through the steps.
- Retirees: retirees use the Federal Employees Dental and Vision Insurance Program (FEDVIP) instead of the TDP. Compare FEDVIP and other options in our military dental insurance guide, and see our open season guide for enrollment windows.
- Command-sponsored OCONUS enrollees: the dollar table uses CONUS shares. Your share is 0% for most rows and 50% for implants, braces, prosthodontic and other restorative work, so work from the full cost-share table instead.
- Adults past the orthodontic age limits: the TDP lists braces coverage for spouses and Guard and Reserve sponsors up to 23 and children up to 21 or 23. Budget braces as an out-of-pocket cost, or compare plans in the military dental insurance guide.
What Would Change These Numbers
Practical takeaway: for a family weighing one procedure, the TDP pays most of the cost of diagnostic, preventive, basic restorative and endodontic care. It pays no more than half of the cost of implants and braces, and with a cap on top, that leaves a large balance on a big bill. That reading is our calculation from TRICARE's official percentages and caps, and it applies to CONUS enrollees on the standard TDP.
Four changes would move the dollar figures:
- A new contract year with different maximums. The $1,500 and $1,750 figures come from a TRICARE maximums page last updated Nov. 21, 2024.
- A revised cost-share table. The current percentages come from a TRICARE page last updated April 11, 2025.
- New premiums after the current rates end on Feb. 28, 2027.
- A benefits booklet that excludes the specific implant service your dentist proposes.
Before you book, ask your dentist for a United Concordia pre-treatment estimate that shows whether TRICARE dental covers braces or your other procedure and what you will owe.
General information, not legal or financial advice. Cost shares, maximums and premiums can change, so verify your benefits with United Concordia or on TRICARE's cost-share page before treatment.