How Much Does It Cost To Reattach A Crown?

Updated on June 30, 2026 | Written by Alec Pow
This article was researched using 10 sources. See our methodology and corrections policy.

Reattaching or re-cementing a dental crown usually costs $75 to $200 when the crown is intact and the tooth underneath does not need repair. The total can reach $150 to $350 if the visit also includes an emergency exam, X-ray, bite adjustment, temporary cement work, or a separate office visit.

The price changes sharply when the case stops being a simple re-cement. If the crown is cracked, the tooth has decay, the core has broken, or the crown no longer fits, the dentist may need to repair the tooth or make a new crown. A new crown commonly costs $902 to $2,051 at Aspen Dental, with an average of $1,269 per tooth in its current crown price guide.

The clean price question is whether the dentist can bill the visit as D2920, which is the code for re-cementing or re-bonding an existing crown. If D2920 applies, the visit is usually a small dental repair. If it does not apply, the patient may be looking at crown replacement, core buildup, root canal treatment, or implant-related work.

Article Highlights

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• A simple crown reattachment usually costs $75 to $200 (at $30 per hour, earning that amount would take about 2.5 to 6.7 hours of work, before taxes).
• The full same-day total can reach $150 to $350 if the dentist adds an emergency exam, X-ray, or adjustment.
• D2920 is the key dental billing code for re-cementing or re-bonding a single existing crown.
• Published D2920 fee examples range from $19 in some plan copay schedules to $166 in one private dental savings schedule.
• A new crown is a different bill and can cost about $902 to $2,051 or more, depending on material and location.
• Dental insurance may cover a crown re-cement, but crown replacement is often treated as major restorative care with coinsurance, waiting periods, and annual maximums.

How Much Does It Cost To Reattach A Crown?

Situation	Usual cost	What the price usually includes
Simple re-cement or re-bond of an intact crown	$75 to $200 (about 2.5 to 6.7 hours of work at $30 per hour)	Cleaning the crown and tooth, fresh dental cement, reseating the crown, and checking the bite
Re-cement plus emergency exam or X-ray	$150 to $350	Same-day evaluation, possible X-ray, re-cement, and minor adjustment
Low plan copay or Medicaid-style fee schedule	$19 to $68	Plan-set fee or public program reimbursement, not a normal cash price for every patient
Private dental savings or published office schedule	$79 to $166	Published D2920 fee examples for crown re-cement or re-bond
New crown if reattachment is not possible	$902 to $2,051+	New crown fabrication, placement, material, and related restorative work depending on the case

The Small D2920 Fee

The cleanest price clue is the billing code. A simple crown reattachment is usually billed as D2920, re-cement or re-bond crown, when the existing crown is still usable and the tooth underneath does not need a new buildup or replacement. Daydream Dental describes D2920 as the code used when an existing crown has become loose or dislodged but is still serviceable in its D2920 crown code guide.

Fee schedules show how small this code can be compared with a new crown: Colorado Medicaid lists D2920 at $53.44 (about 1.8 hours of work at $30 per hour) in its 2025 dental fee schedule, a 2026 Arkansas Blue Cross PPO dental schedule lists it at $50, Wood County Health Department lists re-cement or re-bond crown at $122, and Coast Dental’s 2025 schedule lists D2920 at a standard fee of $133 with a discounted fee of $79.

Those numbers support a normal simple re-cement price of about $75 to $200. If the quote is closer to $250 to $350, ask whether it includes an emergency exam, X-ray, bite adjustment, temporary crown work, or a separate office visit. If the dentist says D2920 does not apply because there is decay, a broken tooth core, a cracked crown, or a poor fit, the price is no longer a reattachment price. It becomes a repair or replacement case.

What This Is in Plain Terms

A dental crown is a cap that covers a damaged, weakened, or restored tooth. Cleveland Clinic explains that crowns can protect teeth after large fillings, root canals, cracks, severe wear, or implant restoration in its dental crown overview.

Reattaching a crown means the dentist is putting the existing crown back on the tooth with fresh dental cement or bonding material. It is not the same as making a new crown. It is also not the same as repairing a broken tooth underneath the crown.

A crown can often be re-cemented when the crown is intact, the tooth has enough structure left, there is no major decay, and the crown still fits correctly. If the tooth changed shape, the margin is open, or the crown broke, reattachment may only delay a larger repair.

Why a Crown Falls Off

A crown can come loose because old cement failed, the bite is too high, the patient grinds their teeth, sticky food pulled the crown off, or decay formed underneath the crown. A short tooth preparation or a broken core can also make the crown easier to dislodge.

The cause matters because it decides the price. Cement failure on a clean tooth can be a simple reattachment. Decay under the crown can require a filling, buildup, root canal, or replacement crown. A cracked crown may need to be remade, especially if the crack reaches the edge or changes the fit.

Repeated crown loss is a red flag. If the same crown comes off more than once, the dentist may need to check tooth height, bite forces, grinding, fit, cement choice, and whether enough tooth remains to hold the crown.

What Makes the Visit Cost More

The reattachment fee rises when the dentist has to diagnose pain, check the root, or rule out decay. A same-day emergency exam can add $50 to $150 in many offices, while a small dental X-ray often adds about $25 to $75. Those are separate from the D2920 re-cement fee unless the office bundles the visit.

Other add-ons can include temporary cement, crown cleaning, bite adjustment, desensitizing treatment, core buildup, or treatment for inflamed gum tissue around the exposed tooth. If the crown fell from a dental implant, the dentist may also need to check the implant abutment or screw, which is not the same as re-cementing a natural-tooth crown.

The biggest jump happens when the old crown cannot be reused. Aspen Dental’s current crown page lists a range of $902 to $2,051 per tooth, while Humana says major restorative services such as crowns may be covered at up to 50% under many dental plans in its crown coverage guide.

Insurance, Copays, and Waiting Periods

Dental insurance may cover a simple crown re-cement if the plan covers restorative care and the dentist documents that the existing crown was serviceable. The patient may owe a copay, coinsurance, deductible, or nothing if the plan has a low fixed fee for D2920.

Replacement crowns are usually handled differently. Humana says many dental plans cover major restorative care such as crowns at up to 50%, and its Complete Dental plan lists 50% coverage for major services with an annual deductible of $50 for individuals and $150 for families in its Complete Dental plan details.

Waiting periods and annual maximums can also matter. Delta Dental says major dental work such as crowns, bridges, and dentures can have waiting periods of 6, 12, or 24 months in its dental waiting period guide. That means a plan may cover a small re-cement sooner than a new crown, depending on the policy.

Three Realistic Cost Cases

Case 1: The crown is intact and the tooth is stable. The dentist checks the crown, cleans old cement, dries the tooth, re-cements the crown, and adjusts the bite. This is the clean D2920 case. A fair cash expectation is $75 to $200.

Case 2: The crown fell off and the tooth hurts. The dentist may add an emergency exam and X-ray before deciding whether the crown can go back on. A realistic visit total is $150 to $350. If decay or a nerve problem is found, the cost moves beyond reattachment.

Case 3: The crown cracked or no longer fits. Re-cementing may not hold or may trap bacteria against the tooth. The patient may need a new crown, usually around $902 to $2,051+, plus any needed buildup, root canal, or temporary crown work.

Same-Day Recement Visit

Assume a patient calls with a crown that fell off during dinner. The crown is intact, the tooth is not painful, and the dentist can see the patient the next day.

The office charges $135 for D2920 crown re-cement. It also charges $75 for a limited exam and $40 for one X-ray to check the tooth. The same-day total is $250.

If the exam shows decay under the crown and the dentist cannot re-cement it safely, the $135 re-cement fee may be replaced by a larger treatment plan. A new crown at $1,269, using Aspen Dental’s average price, would make the total about 5.1 times higher than the $250 simple visit example before adding buildup or root canal work.

What to Do When the Crown Comes Off

Call the dentist and keep the crown in a small container. A crown that is lost, cracked, stepped on, or wrapped in tissue can turn a small re-cement visit into a replacement case.

Do not use household glue. Smile Design Manhattan tells patients not to use super glue, hot glue, or household adhesives when a crown falls out, and says the safer step is to call a dentist and protect the crown in its fallen crown instructions.

Temporary dental cement from a pharmacy may help protect the tooth for a short time, but it is not a replacement for dental care. Avoid chewing on that side until the dentist checks the fit, bite, tooth, and crown margin.

Who This Cost Makes Sense For

Makes sense if:

• The crown is intact and the dentist says it still fits well.
• The tooth under the crown has no major decay or fracture.
• The quote is for D2920 and includes bite adjustment.
• The dentist checks the crown margin before re-cementing it.
• You need a quick repair while a larger treatment decision is not needed.

Does not make sense if:

• The crown is cracked, warped, or missing part of the margin.
• The tooth underneath is broken or has too little structure left.
• The crown has fallen off repeatedly.
• The tooth is painful, swollen, or sensitive to pressure.
• The dentist says decay must be removed before the crown can be restored.

What We Checked

• Checked that D2920 applies to re-cementing or re-bonding a serviceable crown through the D2920 code guide linked above.
• Confirmed public fee signals for D2920 using Colorado Medicaid’s $53.44 fee schedule and Coast Dental’s $79 discounted fee in its 2025 dental fee schedule.
• Cross-referenced a public clinic price example using Wood County Health Department’s $122 re-cement or re-bond crown listing in its dental price list.
• Verified current replacement crown pricing against Aspen Dental’s $902 to $2,051 crown range linked above.
• Confirmed crown lifespan context through Cleveland Clinic’s statement that crowns average 5 to 15 years.
• Checked insurance limits using Humana and Delta Dental sources linked above.

Related Dental Costs

A loose crown is usually cheaper to fix than a missing or damaged crown. If reattachment is not possible, the next quote may look closer to a full dental crown cost.

If the crown is part of an implant restoration, the cost path can involve the abutment, implant crown, screw access, or implant exam. That is closer to dental implants pricing than a simple D2920 re-cement.

If the crown is connected to a missing-tooth restoration, ask whether the dentist is dealing with a crown or a fixed bridge. A loose bridge uses different billing from a single re-cemented crown and can be closer to dental bridge costs.

Answers to Common Questions

How much does it cost to reattach a crown?

A simple crown reattachment usually costs $75 to $200. The total can reach $150 to $350 with an exam, X-ray, emergency fee, or adjustment.

What is the dental code for re-cementing a crown?

The common code is D2920, re-cement or re-bond crown. It applies when the existing crown is still serviceable and can be placed back on the tooth.

Can a dentist reattach any crown that falls off?

No. The crown must still fit, and the tooth underneath must be stable enough to hold it. Decay, fracture, or a cracked crown can require replacement.

Will insurance cover crown reattachment?

Many dental plans cover some restorative repairs, but coverage depends on the plan, deductible, annual maximum, waiting period, and whether the dentist is in network.

How long does a re-cemented crown last?

It may last years if the fit is good and the tooth is healthy. If the crown fell because of decay, grinding, or poor fit, it may come loose again unless the cause is fixed.