How Much Does a Dental Crown Cost?

What you are paying for

What goes into the cost of a dental crown

A single crown commonly costs between $800 and $3,000 without insurance, with around $1,200 as a typical figure. Two things make up most of that fee. One is chair time across two appointments: shaping the tooth, taking the impression or scan, making the temporary, then fitting and cementing. The other is the dental lab, which charges the dentist for building a custom restoration from ceramic or metal. The crown fee normally includes the temporary and the cementing visit. It often does not include the exam and X-rays, a core buildup if the tooth needs rebuilding first, a post, or a root canal if the nerve turns out to be involved. Those extras, more than the crown itself, are what push a final bill well past the first number you were told.

Ways the bill can come down

Ask which materials would suit the tooth and what each costs. On a back molar that does not show, a less expensive material may do the job as well as the most lifelike ceramic. If you have insurance, request a pre-treatment estimate, because crowns are often classed as major work with waiting periods, an annual maximum and rules about how soon a crown on the same tooth can be replaced. Scheduling the crown when your yearly benefit has room can make a real difference. Dental schools provide crowns at reduced fees under faculty supervision. It is also fair to ask the dentist whether an onlay or a large filling would be a sound alternative, and to accept the answer if it is no.

Table 1 — Factors that affect dental crown cost

Factors That Affect Dental Crown Cost

1. 01

   The crown material

   All-ceramic, porcelain fused to metal, and gold or other alloys are priced differently, and metal prices move with the market. The most lifelike ceramics for front teeth tend to sit toward the upper end.

2. 02

   How and where it is made

   A crown made by a high-end lab with custom shading costs the dentist more than a standard one, and that difference is passed on. Offices that mill crowns on site have equipment costs to cover instead of lab bills.

3. 03

   Front tooth or back tooth

   A crown on a visible front tooth has to match its neighbors in color, translucency and shape, which can mean extra shade appointments or remakes. A molar crown is judged mainly on fit and strength.

4. 04

   Buildup, post or root canal first

   A badly broken tooth may need a core buildup, a post, or root canal treatment before it can hold a crown. Each is a separate charge on top of the crown fee.

5. 05

   Gum or bone work around the tooth

   If a break or decay runs below the gum line, a minor surgical procedure to expose more tooth may be needed so the crown has a sound edge to seal against. This is billed separately, sometimes by a specialist.

6. 06

   Local fees and the dentist's experience

   Practices in expensive cities, and dentists with advanced training in restorative or cosmetic work, generally charge more for the same type of crown.

Table 2 — Payment options

Payment Options

• Dental Insurance

  Plans usually pay part of the cost of covered procedures after a deductible, up to an annual maximum. Ask for a pre-treatment estimate.

• Payment Plans

  Many dentists offer in-house financing or work with CareCredit.

• Dental Discount Plans

  A yearly membership that gives reduced fees at participating dentists. Not insurance; check what it covers.

• Dental Schools

  Dental school clinics charge lower fees for care by supervised students. Appointments take longer.