How Much Does A Crown Cost Without Insurance?

Dental surgeries and work have always been a massive part of insurance companies. There are a lot of insurance agents who provide a variety of insurance policies that cover the charges relating to dental health and well-being.

One of the standard procedures among these is the dental crowning procedure. Dental crowning is a restorative dental treatment that lasts very long. Hence, it can get quite expensive.

Since this procedure includes a dental crown that will be inside your mouth for years, it’s good to research your options and get the best procedure possible, lest you get an infection and make the condition irreversible.

This article will look at what dental crowing is about, how much it costs, and what procedures are covered through these dental insurance policies.

What Is A Dental Crown?

A Dental crown or cap is also commonly known as an out shell made either from porcelain or metal or a combination of both that sits on top of your original tooth. Depending on your needs, it can cover the whole tooth or only a partial portion of the existing tooth.

The most common reasons behind getting a dental crown are to restore the tooth to its original form, shape, and size or even as an alternative fix for a broken tooth. Some people get a dental crown for a discolored tooth as well.

Since dental crowns are made of solid materials, the crown can strengthen a weak tooth. It can even act as a cover for root canals and implants. Some doctors use dental crowns as a solution to reinforce a dental bridge in your mouth.

You can check out Cade Insurance for more insurance plans that might interest you.

What Does Dental Insurance Cover?

Dental insurance strictly adheres only to procedures that are related to wellness and dental health. Most dental insurance policies follow a 100-80-50 structure which is explained in detail below:

Preventive Care:

This includes all kinds of annual dental visitations, including cleaning, sealants, and X-rays. According to the 100-80-50 structure, this is your insurance provider’s first tier covered 100%.

Basic Procedures:

This includes noncomplex dental procedures like extractions, fillings, and periodontal treatments. Your dental insurance will cover 80% of the charges as the second tier of the 100-80-50 structure.

Major Procedures:

Major dental procedures are more complex than basic procedures. This includes dental crowns, inlays, bridges, dentures, etc. The 3-tier structure followed by dental insurance providers covers 50% of the cost incurred through these procedures.

Root canal treatments are also typically added under this tier.

Apart from these procedures, if your treatment includes dental procedures out of these three significant tiers, your insurer probably won’t cover the costs.

A good option for an insurance company is Calidad Insurance which offers a wide range of options for its customers.

What To Consider When Checking The Cost Of A Dental Crown?

Many factors are at play when determining the cost of a dental crown, starting from the procedure to the surgeon and the clinic’s location.

Here is a breakdown of some of the significant factors affecting the rate of dental crowns:

X-Ray Cost:

Apart from the dental crowning procedure charges, you might incur additional charges for the different exams you take before the procedure. For example, if you took an x-ray before the procedure, you will have to pay for the x-ray, which amounts to about $20 or even as high as $250, depending on your condition.

Root Canal:

If you need additional special treatment before the dental crowning, like a root canal treatment, the cost can go up as high as $2000.

Additional Procedure:

If the condition of your teeth is such that the dentist needs to build the bone around the tooth where the crown is supposed to go, you will pay even more. The cost of this procedure per tooth is $250.

The Type Of Clinic:

If you are going to a regular dentist’s office for your treatment, the cost might differ from the dental schools, which also provide the same types of treatments. At the dental clinic, you will be treated by a professional who may have specialized in different fields or undergone various pieces of training.

Keep in mind that the educational qualification of the doctor will also play a massive role in the overall rates of the treatments.

On the other hand, if you visit a dental school instead, the rates will be much lower, but you cannot get complex dental treatments done here. Since you are going there as a person on which students can practice their skills, there might be a few risks.

Aftercare:

You may pay for a few more consultation hours if you are required to do follow-ups with your dentist after the procedure. Additionally, the doctor might ask you to follow a specific dental hygiene routine, so you may have to buy a few products.

What Is The Difference Between The Rates Of Getting A Dental Crown With And Without Insurance?

Dental insurance usually covers at least 50% of the total cost of a dental crown. But if your insurer deems your procedure cosmetic, they might not cover your charges. In any way, most dental plans have a limit on their insurance which can last for a year. This ranges between $1000 and $1500.

When you have coverage for at least 50% of the cost, your total cost will vary from $282 to $1000, whereas, if you don’t have insurance, the cost can go up to $1093.

The cost of a dental crown can depend on many things, such as the size, condition, and location of the tooth. The cost will also be factored in by considering the type of dental crown you use.

Porcelain Crown:

Porcelain dental crowns are the most common dental crown used in the procedure. The cost of a porcelain dental crown can range anywhere from $800 to $3000 without insurance.

If you have insurance covering part of the procedure, your out-of-pocket expenses drastically reduce to an average of $953, but it can even go as high as $1875.

Porcelain-Fused-To-Metal Crowns:

They can cost from $500 – $1500 or more for every tooth.

If you don’t have insurance, you will pay anywhere from $875 to $1,400 for all porcelain-fused-to-metal crowns.

Whereas, if you have insurance, they will cover 50% of the total charges, so you will be left with about $282 to $1000 remaining balance to pay out of your pocket.

Gold Alloy Metal Crowns:

These kinds of crowns are called base metal alloys or high noble metals. The average cost for this crown per tooth can be anywhere from $600 to $2500.

Without insurance, you will be paying about $1353 on average, but this can go up as high as $2465.

But if you have dental insurance, your out-of-pocket cost will only be about $882 on average. However, depending on your procedure, it can be as high as $1140.

As you can see, dental insurance helps you cut back on costs out of pocket. Additionally, learn about the importance of life insurance to cover every part of your life.

Conclusion:

Because dental treatments are not seen as emergency medical procedures, there is a different protocol than your typical health insurance policies. When it comes to dental insurance, you might have a long waiting line, some as much as a few weeks to months.

Some dental insurance policies may also have a maximum limit for the amount spent on covering dental charges. For example, suppose your limit is set at $1000, and you have already used half of that in another procedure.

Even if you have to get another treatment during the same year, your insurer may not cover 100 or 80 percent of the costs, even though the tier structure says otherwise.