Dental Crowns Can Be Costly

While it could be legitimately argued that most Americans are not terribly conscientious about dental hygiene and consume far too much in the way of sugary foods (especially young people) and therefore bear some personal responsibility here, this is not true of all Americans. Congenital problems such as Type 1 (childhood onset) diabetes can cause dental health issues as well as other genetic factors. I

t is also not true that dental crowns are a cosmetic procedure. While there are some cosmetic benefits to having dental crowns placed, the fact is that the primary reason for dental crowns is to restore function to damaged teeth.

In the meantime, the decision of whether or not to have dental crowns placed will continue to be a financial decision more than a health-related one for most Americans.

This said, the actual cost of dental crowns can vary tremendously. The price per tooth can range from $300 to $3000, depending on numerous factors - not the least of which is where and by whom the procedure is being performed. Other factors affecting the cost of dental crowns are:

- materials - complexity of the procedure (including additional treatment of underlying structure) - experience and training on the part of the dentist - office costs and fees - insurance coverage and deductibles

Even if you have dental insurance coverage, expect a fight from your insurance company when it comes to dental crowns. They make money only when claims are denied, not from paying them out; they will therefore will claim that your crowns are a cosmetic procedure, and not medically necessary. What you will have to do is:

(A) Provide thorough documentation of the medical necessity of the procedure (including a second opinion, if possible).
(B) Prepare to fight - and contact your state’s Insurance Commissioner, keeping careful records of all communications.
(C) If possible, be very noisy about it if the insurance company persists in being unreasonable. Write a letter to the editor of the local newspaper, or try to get interviewed for a “human interest” story on the local TV or radio station. Most of these large corporations are very concerned about their image, and will quickly acquiesce in order to avoid public embarrassment.

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