Crowns (the dental kind). Is this a racket??

[SKL]

So expensive, even with insurance!  Why?

Is this a need or a scam?

[City Mouse]

I don’t think it is either one, but I agree they are expensive.

My adult DD was on Medicaid for a time. Medicaid does not pay for crowns at all. It only pays for extractions at that point, so I guess there is an alternative. 
 

There are different types of materials that can be used to make the crown. I would imagine the more visually pleasing the more the cost, but I don’t know that for sure.

[marbel]

I have three crowns and I'm pretty glad I have them, otherwise I'd have broken teeth, or stumps, or empty spaces. One of them would be very obvious.  I'm not ready to have missing teeth and the associated (potential) problems it can cause.

But yeah, insurance does not cover much if any of it. That stinks. It's not always just cosmetic. 

As for the expense, well, it seems to be a pretty labor-intensive process, for the dentist and the lab that has to create the permanent crown to fit perfectly. LOL I sound like I work for a dentist! But I think it's a pretty complicated process. All 3 (2 porcelain, 1 gold) have given me no trouble for years. 

ETA: yes I understand the privilege I have in being able to pay for dental care like this. 

Edited December 1, 2023 by marbel

[gardenmom5]

Insurance really doesn't pay much for them.  I have several gold crowns - even though they are very expensive upfront, they seldom (if ever) need to be replaced. (this is because gold expands and contracts at the same rate as the natural tooth)  Porcelain crowns often fail after 10 - 15 years (or even less) and must be replaced.

 

And agreeing with @marbel.  Crowns are very labor intensive.  Lots of prep work on the tooth, the temporary crown, the molds, the permanent crown and fitting it . . . (so there are at least two appointments.)

Edited December 1, 2023 by gardenmom5

[Grace Hopper]

You REALLY don’t want a root canal and/or crown that isn’t JUST RIGHT. 
 

IMO a good endodontist is worth every penny. But yea, pricey. 

Edited December 1, 2023 by Grace Hopper

[SKL]

I have an appointment to get a crown on one of my 12-year molars.  So it's not a cosmetic thing at all.  Apparently I've had so much work done on this tooth at different times that the dentist thinks it doesn't make sense to do more of same.

On one hand, at this stage of my life, I want to make choices that will result in less long-term maintenance.  I don't want to have to worry about complicated dental issues in my old age.  On the other hand, wow, it's quite a hit.  I hope this doesn't come up again.

And now you tell me the crown might not last well into my old age after all?  That's not fair.

[Harriet Vane]

1 hour ago, SKL said:

I have an appointment to get a crown on one of my 12-year molars.  So it's not a cosmetic thing at all.  Apparently I've had so much work done on this tooth at different times that the dentist thinks it doesn't make sense to do more of same.

On one hand, at this stage of my life, I want to make choices that will result in less long-term maintenance.  I don't want to have to worry about complicated dental issues in my old age.  On the other hand, wow, it's quite a hit.  I hope this doesn't come up again.

And now you tell me the crown might not last well into my old age after all?  That's not fair.

I had exactly the same situation. They told me the crown was likely to last decades if not my entire life. I've been happy with the result. 

[catz]

I've had a few crowns placed.  Honestly, I'm pretty sure I had a quack dentist as a kid and young adult that was just looking for excuses to do dental work and that set me up.

But I've been super happy with the crowns I have.  But yes they're expensive.  Dental work should be covered at a high level IMO but it is what it is.  

[Laura Corin]

14 minutes ago, Harriet Vane said:

I had exactly the same situation. They told me the crown was likely to last decades if not my entire life. I've been happy with the result. 

My porcelain crown is around 20 years old and is showing no problems. 

[Grace Hopper]

3 hours ago, SKL said:

I have an appointment to get a crown on one of my 12-year molars.  So it's not a cosmetic thing at all.  Apparently I've had so much work done on this tooth at different times that the dentist thinks it doesn't make sense to do more of same.

On one hand, at this stage of my life, I want to make choices that will result in less long-term maintenance.  I don't want to have to worry about complicated dental issues in my old age.  On the other hand, wow, it's quite a hit.  I hope this doesn't come up again.

And now you tell me the crown might not last well into my old age after all?  That's not fair.

A molar may not be be cosmetic, but it does affect your bite, and thus sleep, grinding, jaw issues, headaches… So yes, important to have it done correctly. 
 

I had issues with molars malformed from a young age (probably birth defect), molars that ended up with crowns. Mine have lasted years. 

[kathyl]

3 hours ago, Grace Hopper said:

You REALLY don’t want a root canal and/or crown that isn’t JUST RIGHT. 
 

IMO a good endodontist is worth every penny. But yea, pricey. 

I had to have a root canal last spring.  It was the first time I'd been to an endodontist.  It was expensive and I might have shown my shock at the cost a little too much, based on the receptionist's reaction. 🙄 But it was worth every penny, IMO. 

He was wonderful.  No pain, open to other solutions.  He said he could drill a hole in the tooth and do the root canal that way since the tooth itself was fine.  So I told him to do that and it's working great so far. 

Dh, on the other hand, had a previous dentist do one of his and he's had all kinds of problems with the crown falling off.  He almost swallowed it this summer.  The dentist here stuck it back on.  Dh likes to crunch hard things though - ice, hard foods, etc. - despite the dentists telling him not to do that.  Might have something to do with it falling off.

We don't have dental insurance anymore.  Just Medicare.  Turns out (so far) that it's cheaper to pay for the dental work out of pocket.     

[City Mouse]

I had one porcelain crown that broke and had to be replaced. It was around 10 yrs old, but I clench my teeth very hard when I sleep, so I think most of the fault is mine. When it was replaced, the new dentist went with a crown that was some kind of metal with porcelain over the metal. It was cheaper than all porcelain. The other crown I have was put on the same time as the first one. It is over 20 yrs old now and still fine.

[JustEm]

I have a gold crown that is 20 years old. My mom has had many issues with the porcelain crowns she has. Can't talk to the expense of either because I was 16 when I got mine so my parents paid for it

[MercyA]

I have a fair number of crowns. I'm very grateful for them, because I'd have a mouthful of missing teeth otherwise.

Yes, they are expensive, but a lot of skill goes into making and placing them. You're also paying for the materials and the technology. 

Most of mine have lasted for years. IIRC, I have had two break. 

When a tooth has had a lot of work, sometimes there's just not much left to work with. It's a crown or removal at that point. I did have a very back molar removed instead of getting a crown on it. It doesn't bother me and the extraction was much less expensive, of course.

[SKL]

Ugh now you guys are really scaring me.

If a crown is gonna last, say, 20 years, that means until I'm 77, and I don't want to be fooling around with dental problems at 77.

[katilac]

32 minutes ago, SKL said:

Ugh now you guys are really scaring me.

If a crown is gonna last, say, 20 years, that means until I'm 77, and I don't want to be fooling around with dental problems at 77.

You will be dealing with dental problems at 77 whether you get the crown or not. 

Likely earlier, if you don't get it. 

[Ali in OR]

I had my first crown put on when I was in college. I have a lot--maybe 6? I had large cavities filled when I was a kid and those teeth tend to break and need crowns. Anyway, I have not had to replace any of them and the oldest must be over 35 years old.

My dentist now has equipment to make a crown in his office. I watched the machine last time I got a crown. The dentist makes a model on a computer designing all of the contours. The file gets sent to the machine and the material turns and is somehow ground into the designed shape (I think a diamond bit? can't remember). Very cool. No temp crown needed--all done in one visit.  My dental insurance over the years has usually paid half of the crown cost and even with that, yes, it's an expensive hit. But I like having teeth.

[rebcoola]

I have a the two front teeth I broke as a teen are porcelain and I had them redone a couple year ago because of a crack. For back teeth I just went with the metal though its cheaper and should last a long time.

[KungFuPanda]

You guys are scaring me. What DOES a crown cost? 1k? 5k? 10k?????

[Carol in Cal.]

Crowns are bad and implants are worse.  And neither of them lasts for life.

[KSera]

Implants don’t last? I knew that about crowns, but thought implants were more permanent (and more expensive). 

[J-rap]

I have maybe three crowns?  We haven't had dental insurance for years, so I just pay for everything out of pocket.  I think mine were around $500/$600, and the oldest one I've probably had for at least 20 years.  (Probably those prices are outdated.)  No problems.   I also have an implant which has been great.  I've had it almost 20 years -- so far, so good.  Mine is to replace a front tooth which I lost in an accident.    I'm not sure what I would've done without the implant, especially for a front top tooth. 

Edited December 2, 2023 by J-rap

[MercyA]

1 hour ago, KungFuPanda said:

You guys are scaring me. What DOES a crown cost? 1k? 5k? 10k?????

I don't have dental insurance. They run between $1,000 to $2,000 each.

[MercyA]

5 hours ago, SKL said:

Ugh now you guys are really scaring me.

If a crown is gonna last, say, 20 years, that means until I'm 77, and I don't want to be fooling around with dental problems at 77.

Well, you likely have two options at the moment: a crown or removal. How much do you need / want that tooth? 

[rebcoola]

My crowns have cost like $300 w/insurance .  Cost varies quite a bit since their are different materials

[BakersDozen]

5 hours ago, Ali in OR said:

My dentist now has equipment to make a crown in his office. I watched the machine last time I got a crown. The dentist makes a model on a computer designing all of the contours. The file gets sent to the machine and the material turns and is somehow ground into the designed shape (I think a diamond bit? can't remember). Very cool. No temp crown needed--all done in one visit. 

I have 2 crowns - one gold, one porcelain - which were done by an outside lab. 20+ years later, they are still perfect. Every single crown (and I've had too many) which have been done by the in-office machine are horrible: sharp edges, gaps, breaking, etc. I have more issues with those things and have determined that it will be worth getting numbed twice and paying more to have a lab make crowns for my teeth from here on out. And I've been to 2 different dentists, both of whom had the same in-office technology, with the same dismal results. 😞

[Carol in Cal.]

4 hours ago, KSera said:

Implants don’t last? I knew that about crowns, but thought implants were more permanent (and more expensive). 

Nope.  My dentist warned me.  AFTER doing the implant.

Also I know someone whose implant had to be redone after about 10 years.

[Pawz4me]

7 hours ago, KungFuPanda said:

You guys are scaring me. What DOES a crown cost? 1k? 5k? 10k?????

The last crown I had, which was a few years ago, was (IIRC) around $1,000. That was my cost w/o insurance, at my regular dentist, who does a fantastic job on all the things, so I've had no need to see an endodontist. And it was just a crown, not a root canal, too. The last crown plus root canal I had was (again, IIRC) about $1800.

 

7 hours ago, KSera said:

Implants don’t last? I knew that about crowns, but thought implants were more permanent (and more expensive). 

Implants are a lot more expensive. I had one a couple of years ago, and IIRC it was somewhere in the $3200-$3600 range. I don't remember exactly. I paid in two installments, half after the screw part was placed and the remaining balance after the crown was put on. My dentist said he won't say it will last forever, but he has patients who've had them for 15 or so years now and they're still doing fine. It seems to me the crown part would be just like any other crown, and it might need replacing eventually. Things do were down. But I'd think the screw, which is the majority of the labor, should last as long as there's enough bone to hold it. But that's just a layperson's guess, of course.

[KSera]

3 hours ago, Carol in Cal. said:

Nope.  My dentist warned me.  AFTER doing the implant.

Also I know someone whose implant had to be redone after about 10 years.

 

1 hour ago, Pawz4me said:

It seems to me the crown part would be just like any other crown, and it might need replacing eventually. Things do were down. But I'd think the screw, which is the majority of the labor, should last as long as there's enough bone to hold it. But that's just a layperson's guess, of course.

This is what I read when I looked it up—the crown has the same 10-15 year lifespan predicted for any other crown, but the screw and socket should last for a lifetime. The socket becomes part of your jaw, and the screw is made of material that shouldn’t break down at all, though occasionally the screw can become loose and need repair.

[elegantlion]

I have porcelain crowns on my two front teeth. I broke them out as a kid and finally had the caps replaced about 4 years ago. I used a dental school and paid $500 per crown. One tooth was a bit more because it had had a root canal some years before and they had to post the tooth first. 

I've also had 3 molars pulled over the years because radiation did a number on my teeth. Thankfully the missing teeth are on different areas so it doesn't create an issue. 

[J-rap]

53 minutes ago, elegantlion said:

I have porcelain crowns on my two front teeth. I broke them out as a kid and finally had the caps replaced about 4 years ago. I used a dental school and paid $500 per crown. One tooth was a bit more because it had had a root canal some years before and they had to post the tooth first. 

I've also had 3 molars pulled over the years because radiation did a number on my teeth. Thankfully the missing teeth are on different areas so it doesn't create an issue. 

A dental school is a good idea!  My dh used to have dental work done at a dental school and saved a lot of money that way.

[J-rap]

9 hours ago, MercyA said:

Well, you likely have two options at the moment: a crown or removal. How much do you need / want that tooth? 

Yes -- depending on where the tooth is, you might be able to just have it removed.  My dh had a molar near the back that either needed to be crowned, removed and replaced with an implant, or just removed.  He chose to just have it removed about ten years ago, and it's been fine.  I know they say teeth can slide a bit as you age, and they likely will, but every older person I know has dental problems as they age -- no matter how well they took care of their teeth.

[Serenade]

12 hours ago, Ali in OR said:

I had my first crown put on when I was in college. I have a lot--maybe 6? I had large cavities filled when I was a kid and those teeth tend to break and need crowns. Anyway, I have not had to replace any of them and the oldest must be over 35 years old.

My dentist now has equipment to make a crown in his office. I watched the machine last time I got a crown. The dentist makes a model on a computer designing all of the contours. The file gets sent to the machine and the material turns and is somehow ground into the designed shape (I think a diamond bit? can't remember). Very cool. No temp crown needed--all done in one visit.  My dental insurance over the years has usually paid half of the crown cost and even with that, yes, it's an expensive hit. But I like having teeth.

My dentist makes the crowns in-office, too.  But it doesn't save me any money, just time!

[fairfarmhand]

4 hours ago, Pawz4me said:

The last crown I had, which was a few years ago, was (IIRC) around $1,000. That was my cost w/o insurance, at my regular dentist, who does a fantastic job on all the things, so I've had no need to see an endodontist. And it was just a crown, not a root canal, too. The last crown plus root canal I had was (again, IIRC) about $1800.

 

Implants are a lot more expensive. I had one a couple of years ago, and IIRC it was somewhere in the $3200-$3600 range. I don't remember exactly. I paid in two installments, half after the screw part was placed and the remaining balance after the crown was put on. My dentist said he won't say it will last forever, but he has patients who've had them for 15 or so years now and they're still doing fine. It seems to me the crown part would be just like any other crown, and it might need replacing eventually. Things do were down. But I'd think the screw, which is the majority of the labor, should last as long as there's enough bone to hold it. But that's just a layperson's guess, of course.

This is what my dhs dentist told him.

2 hours ago, KSera said:

 

This is what I read when I looked it up—the crown has the same 10-15 year lifespan predicted for any other crown, but the screw and socket should last for a lifetime. The socket becomes part of your jaw, and the screw is made of material that shouldn’t break down at all, though occasionally the screw can become loose and need 

[*Jessica*]

How necessary is a crown, really?  Or am I just really lucky?!  I had a root canal on a back molar at least 15 years ago.  I was supposed to return for the crown , but I couldn’t afford it so I just never went back.  I haven’t had a single problem with my uncrowned tooth.  

[SKL]

Maybe this is forcing me into decision time.

I recently found out that my dentist is not a "preferred provider" under my dental insurance.  Not sure how that slid by me before.  In 2022, my kid needed a root canal + crown which cost us quite a bit, and now this. 

I like our dentist, but is it worth thousands of extra dollars per year ... perhaps not.

I should see if there are any reputable nearby dentists on the "preferred provider" list and consider moving to them.  Or what about having 2 dentists?  Does anyone do that?  The other thought is just dropping dental insurance kuz it's a lot to pay if they're not going to cover the big stuff.

[Kassia]

22 minutes ago, SKL said:

Maybe this is forcing me into decision time.

I recently found out that my dentist is not a "preferred provider" under my dental insurance.  Not sure how that slid by me before.  In 2022, my kid needed a root canal + crown which cost us quite a bit, and now this. 

I like our dentist, but is it worth thousands of extra dollars per year ... perhaps not.

I should see if there are any reputable nearby dentists on the "preferred provider" list and consider moving to them.  Or what about having 2 dentists?  Does anyone do that?  The other thought is just dropping dental insurance kuz it's a lot to pay if they're not going to cover the big stuff.

We're switching dental insurance because our dentist dropped the insurance we did have because it wasn't paying him enough.  We really like him and don't want to switch dentists, so we're switching to a plan that he accepts.  DH has a terrible time with his teeth, so we have to have insurance.  It's not great, but it is better than nothing.

Edited December 2, 2023 by Kassia

[katilac]

2 hours ago, *Jessica* said:

How necessary is a crown, really?  Or am I just really lucky?!  I had a root canal on a back molar at least 15 years ago.  I was supposed to return for the crown , but I couldn’t afford it so I just never went back.  I haven’t had a single problem with my uncrowned tooth.  

You won't necessarily have a problem, you are just more likely to have a problem. And sometimes those problems can really affect the remaining tooth, like a break, chip, crack, or infection. 

If you've had a root canal and no crown, you can take precautions like not eating really hard things on that side, and using a rinse to help kill bacteria. 

When you can't afford, then you can't afford it, but good dental health really pays off as you age. 

I have terrible teeth, they are the bane of my existence. 

[Ali in OR]

4 hours ago, *Jessica* said:

How necessary is a crown, really?  Or am I just really lucky?!  I had a root canal on a back molar at least 15 years ago.  I was supposed to return for the crown , but I couldn’t afford it so I just never went back.  I haven’t had a single problem with my uncrowned tooth.  

Mine have all been a very obvious need as my tooth breaks and then I get it crowned. I have a very jagged surface in my mouth in the meantime that I can't chew on.

[Reefgazer]

My insurance pays 50%, and I still wind up paying about $700/crown.  It's outrageously expensive!

[TravelingChris]

7 hours ago, SKL said:

Maybe this is forcing me into decision time.

I recently found out that my dentist is not a "preferred provider" under my dental insurance.  Not sure how that slid by me before.  In 2022, my kid needed a root canal + crown which cost us quite a bit, and now this. 

I like our dentist, but is it worth thousands of extra dollars per year ... perhaps not.

I should see if there are any reputable nearby dentists on the "preferred provider" list and consider moving to them.  Or what about having 2 dentists?  Does anyone do that?  The other thought is just dropping dental insurance kuz it's a lot to pay if they're not going to cover the big stuff.

I don't gp to a preeferred priver.  My dentist is legit.  When I came to him, he said, that many of the things the last dentist was going to do=cavity fillings, weren;t necessary,  He tells me legitametely how long I can last without whattever I need.  He never dos unnecessary work and I am very happy with that.