How Much Does a Dental Crown Cost?

Updated on August 3, 2026 | Written by Alec Pow
This article was researched using 10 sources. See our methodology and corrections policy.

A dental crown usually costs about $1,100 to $2,000 out of network, but real self-pay quotes often run from about $800 to $3,000+ per tooth depending on the crown material, dentist, lab, location, and how much tooth rebuilding is needed first. Delta Dental lists the average out-of-network cost for a permanent dental crown at $1,100 to $2,000 through its dental crown cost guide.

With dental insurance, crowns are often treated as major restorative care. Many plans cover about 50% of the allowed amount after deductible, but the patient may pay more if the plan has a waiting period, the dentist is out of network, the crown is cosmetic, or the annual maximum is already partly used.

The most important pricing point is that the crown itself may not be the full tooth bill. A cracked or heavily decayed tooth may need a core build-up, post and core, X-rays, temporary crown, gum work, or root canal before the final crown is placed.

Article Highlights

• A permanent dental crown usually costs about $1,100 to $2,000 (at $30 per hour, earning that amount would take about 0.9 to 1.7 full-time workweeks, before taxes) out of network.
• Real self-pay quotes commonly land around $800 to $3,000+ per tooth.
• CareCredit lists average crown fees of $1,399 for porcelain, $1,114 for porcelain and metal, and $1,211 for metallic crowns.
• GoodRx lists common add-ons such as core build-up at $200 to $500 and post and core at $250 to $650.
• Insurance often pays around 50% for medically necessary crowns, but annual maximums can limit the real payout.
• The best estimate should show CDT codes, material, lab, build-up, post and core, and any root canal or gum work.

How Much Does a Dental Crown Cost?

Crown or related item	Typical cost	What the price usually means
Permanent crown, out of network	$1,100 to $2,000 (about 0.9 to 1.7 full-time workweeks at $30 per hour)	Average permanent crown range before in-network discounts or insurance reimbursement
Porcelain crown	$915 to $3,254, average $1,399	Tooth-colored crown often used where appearance matters
Porcelain and metal crown	$770 to $2,454, average $1,114	Common balance of strength and tooth-colored appearance
Metallic crown	$821 to $2,861, average $1,211	Durable option often used for back teeth, less cosmetic
Resin-based or temporary crown	$488 to $1,593, average $697	Temporary or lower-cost crown category, not always a long-term permanent crown
Core build-up	$200 to $500	Rebuilds missing tooth structure so the crown has enough support
Post and core	$250 to $650	May be needed after root canal treatment when little tooth structure remains

$1,300 Crown to a $2,100 Tooth Bill

The price most patients hear first is usually the crown itself. That does not always include the work needed to make the tooth strong enough to hold the crown. GoodRx lists core build-up at $200 to $500 (about 0.8 to 2.1 full-time workdays at $30 per hour), post and core at $250 to $650, dental exam at $50 to $200, X-ray at $25 to $50, and cone-beam CT scan at $150 to $750 through its dental crown price guide.

If the crown is $1,300, a $350 core build-up raises the treatment plan to $1,650. Add a $150 exam and X-rays, and the visit plan becomes $1,800. If the tooth needs a $550 post and core instead of a simpler build-up, the same $1,300 crown can become about $2,000 before gum work, root canal, or a CBCT scan.

Insurance can make the bill look cheaper, but the annual maximum can undo part of the savings. If the plan allows $1,200 for the crown and pays 50%, the insurer pays $600 and the patient pays $600. But if the patient has only $300 left before hitting the annual maximum, the plan may pay only $300, leaving the patient with $900 on the crown allowed amount, plus any add-ons not covered the same way.

What Is a Dental Crown?

A dental crown is a tooth-shaped cap that covers a damaged, weakened, cracked, or heavily restored tooth. Dentists also use crowns on implants and sometimes after root canal treatment. Cleveland Clinic says crowns restore a tooth’s shape, size, strength, and appearance, and that they may be made from metal, porcelain-fused-to-metal, resin, ceramic, porcelain, or zirconia through its dental crown overview.

A crown is more protective than a normal filling because it covers the tooth. That is why dentists often recommend a crown when too much tooth structure is missing, when a tooth is cracked, when a large filling is failing, or when a back tooth has had root canal treatment.

A crown is not always the only option. Smaller damage may be treated with a filling or onlay. Cosmetic front-tooth problems may be treated with veneers. A non-restorable tooth may need extraction and an implant instead.

Crown Material Changes the Price

CareCredit lists porcelain crowns at an average of $1,399, porcelain and metal crowns at $1,114, metallic crowns at $1,211, and resin-based or temporary crowns at $697 through its dental crown financing guide. The same procedure can cost more or less depending on the lab, scanner, ceramic block, shade matching, and dentist’s fee schedule.

Porcelain, ceramic, and zirconia crowns are often chosen for visible teeth because they can look more natural. Metal crowns are less cosmetic but can be durable for molars. Porcelain-fused-to-metal crowns are a middle option, though the metal margin may show over time in some mouths.

The lowest material price is not always the best value. A back molar needs strength under chewing pressure. A front tooth needs shade matching. A night grinder may need a material and bite design that can survive heavy force.

Insurance and Annual Maximums

Many dental plans use a structure where preventive care is covered at a higher percentage, basic care at a middle percentage, and major work such as crowns at a lower percentage. Humana explains that full-coverage dental plans may pay as much as 50% of major restorative care, including crowns, while the patient pays the rest through its crown coverage overview.

The annual maximum is the trap. The American Dental Association explains that many dental plans have a total annual maximum, which is the maximum dollar amount the plan may reimburse each year even if the patient’s dental costs exceed that amount, in its dental plan limitations guide.

Delta Dental says annual maximums commonly range from $1,000 to $2,000 and reset at the end of the benefit period through its annual maximum explainer. If a patient already used $800 of a $1,500 annual maximum on cleanings, fillings, or a root canal, only $700 remains for the crown.

Common Add-On Fees

Core build-up is one of the most common add-ons. It rebuilds the tooth under the crown when decay, fracture, or a large old filling has left too little structure. A crown placed without enough tooth support can fail sooner.

Post and core can be needed when the tooth has had root canal treatment and there is not enough natural tooth left above the gumline. If the tooth also needs a root canal first, compare the total with the normal root canal cost, because the crown may be only one part of the full treatment plan.

Crown lengthening, gum treatment, deep decay removal, temporary restorations, CBCT imaging, night guards, and replacement of old failing restorations can also change the total. Ask the office to separate each CDT code and fee before treatment starts.

Same-Day Crowns vs. Lab Crowns

Same-day crowns are made with digital scanning and in-office milling, while traditional crowns are made by an outside dental lab. The price can be similar, but the timing is different. A same-day crown may avoid the temporary crown stage and second appointment.

The higher same-day fee, if there is one, may be offset by saving a second visit, temporary-crown inconvenience, time off work, or travel. The lower lab-crown price, if available, may be worth it when shade matching is more complex or when the dentist prefers a lab-made restoration.

Ask whether the same-day price includes the scan, milling, staining, glazing, cementation, and any adjustment visits. Also ask whether the material is appropriate for the tooth being treated.

Front Tooth vs. Back Tooth Crown

Front-tooth crowns often cost more when esthetics are difficult. The dentist may need more shade matching, translucency matching, gumline shaping, and lab communication. A visible front crown that does not match nearby teeth can be hard to ignore.

Back-tooth crowns are more about strength and bite. A molar crown must survive chewing force, grinding, and limited space. A strong metal, zirconia, or porcelain-fused-to-metal design may be recommended even if it is less cosmetic.

When a front tooth is mainly cosmetic and still has enough healthy structure, ask whether a dental veneer would solve the issue. Veneers are not a replacement for crowns when the tooth is cracked, heavily filled, or structurally weak.

Alternatives to a Dental Crown

Alternative	Typical cost signal	When it may fit
Large filling	About $150 to $450+	Small to moderate decay or chips when enough tooth structure remains
Inlay or onlay	About $650 to $1,200+	Partial tooth coverage when a full crown is not needed
Veneer	About $925 to $2,500	Cosmetic front-surface changes, not heavily damaged teeth
Root canal plus crown	Often $1,500 to $4,000+ combined	Infected tooth that can still be saved
Implant plus crown	Often $3,000 to $6,000+	Missing or non-restorable tooth

If the tooth cannot be saved, the comparison changes from crown cost to replacement cost. A single implant and crown is usually much more expensive than a crown on a natural tooth. For full-mouth or fixed-arch options, compare the estimate with Nuvia dental implants or another implant provider before making a decision.

Ways to Spend Less

Start with a written pretreatment estimate. The estimate should list the crown code, material, tooth number, core build-up, post and core, crown lengthening, root canal, X-rays, temporary crown, and your expected insurance payment.

Use an in-network PPO dentist if you have dental insurance. Negotiated fees can reduce the allowed amount before the plan pays. Delta Dental offers a member cost estimator that can help patients compare expected fees through its dental cost estimator.

Dental schools and community clinics can cost less, though appointments may take longer. Cash-pay discounts, in-office membership plans, and staged treatment can also help. For local self-pay comparisons, use FAIR Health’s dental cost lookup to check your area through its dental cost tool.

HSA, FSA, and Tax Treatment

Dental crowns generally qualify as medical care when they are needed to treat or restore dental disease or damage. HSA and FSA money can often be used for medically necessary dental expenses, but cosmetic-only procedures may not qualify.

The IRS says dental expenses can be included as medical expenses and describes deductible medical and dental expenses in Publication 502. If you are using an HSA, FSA, or itemized deduction, keep the treatment plan, receipt, insurance explanation of benefits, and payment records.

Financing can help with timing but can increase the final cost if interest applies. Before using a dental credit card or office financing, compare the monthly payment, APR, promotional period, deferred-interest rules, and whether you can pay it off before interest starts.

Three Realistic Crown Cost Cases

Case 1: Simple uninsured crown. A patient needs one porcelain-fused-to-metal crown at $1,150. There is no build-up, post, or root canal. The patient pays $1,150 before any cash discount or financing cost.

Case 2: Crown with build-up. A patient is quoted $1,300 for a porcelain crown and $350 for core build-up. The tooth total becomes $1,650. If the office gives a 10% cash discount, the total drops to $1,485.

Case 3: Insurance max problem. The crown allowed amount is $1,200, and the plan normally pays 50%. The expected insurer share would be $600. But the patient has only $300 left under the annual maximum, so the plan pays $300 and the patient owes $900 on the allowed crown amount, before add-ons.

Crown, Build-Up, and Insurance

Assume the dentist quotes $1,300 for the crown, $350 for core build-up, and $75 for X-rays. The treatment plan total is $1,725.

The insurance plan allows $1,200 for the crown and pays 50%, so it pays $600 toward the crown. If the build-up is also covered at 50%, the insurer pays another $175. The total insurer payment is $775.

The patient pays $950: $700 remaining on the crown, $175 remaining on the build-up, and $75 for X-rays if the X-rays are not covered or the deductible applies. If the annual maximum has only $500 left, the patient pays another $275.

When a Crown Makes Sense

Makes sense if:

• The tooth is cracked, weakened, heavily filled, or structurally unsafe with only a filling.
• The dentist can show why an onlay or large filling is not enough.
• The estimate lists every CDT code and not just the word “crown.”
• The crown material fits the tooth position and bite force.
• The tooth is likely restorable for long-term use.

Does not make sense if:

• The tooth is non-restorable and extraction or implant planning is more realistic.
• The estimate leaves out build-up, post and core, or root canal work that is likely needed.
• The crown is purely cosmetic and insurance will not help.
• The bite, grinding, or gum condition has not been addressed.
• A less expensive onlay, filling, or veneer would solve the problem safely.

What We Checked

• Checked Delta Dental’s current out-of-network permanent crown range of $1,100 to $2,000.
• Verified GoodRx add-on estimates, including core build-up at $200 to $500 and post and core at $250 to $650.
• Cross-referenced CareCredit’s crown fee table, including porcelain at $1,399, porcelain and metal at $1,114, and metallic at $1,211.
• Checked ADA annual-maximum guidance and Delta Dental’s $1,000 to $2,000 annual maximum explanation.
• Checked Cleveland Clinic’s explanation of crown materials, purpose, and use cases.
• Checked IRS Publication 502 for dental expense tax context.

Answers to Common Questions

How much does a dental crown cost without insurance?

A typical crown costs about $1,100 to $2,000 out of network, but many self-pay quotes run from about $800 to $3,000+ depending on material, location, lab, and add-on work.

How much does a crown cost with insurance?

Many plans pay about 50% of the allowed amount for medically necessary crowns after deductible. Your real out-of-pocket can still be higher if the annual maximum is partly used, the dentist is out of network, or add-ons are not covered the same way.

Why did my crown estimate include a build-up?

A build-up rebuilds missing tooth structure so the crown has a stable foundation. GoodRx lists core build-up at $200 to $500. Without enough tooth support, the crown may not last.

Does a root canal include the crown?

Usually no. Root canal treatment and the crown are often billed separately. A back tooth that had a root canal often needs a crown afterward, which is why the full tooth-saving plan can be much higher than the root canal alone.

Is a same-day crown cheaper?

Not always. Same-day crowns are often priced similarly to lab crowns. They may save time and avoid a temporary crown, but the final price depends on material, office technology, and tooth complexity.

Can a crown be reattached instead of replaced?

Sometimes. If the crown came off intact and the tooth underneath is healthy, the dentist may be able to re-cement it for far less than a new crown. If decay, fracture, or poor fit caused the crown to come off, replacement may be needed.