Should I pay another $1200 lab fee? (Photo)

Question

After 30 years I had my two front crowns replaced. The lab tech insisted that they be longer than the old crowns. After cementing,I realized my bottom teeth were hitting the bottom edge of the right crown as well as the back of the right crown. The dentist adjusted the bite twice and today trimmed the bottom of both crowns. Now the left crown is shorter than the right. She tells me that I will have to pay the lab another $1200 to re-do the crowns. This does not seem right. What should I do?

Desiree Yazdan, DDS · Answer

Lab fees vary across the US.  Unfortunately, I would not pay again to have the same work done.  Those two crowns look very opaque and it looks like they are porcelain fused to metal.  We have had so many advancements in dentistry today, and your dentist should have placed all porcelain crowns on your front teeth.  If your dentist does not redo these crowns at no charge for you, I would go elsewhere.  Always make sure that you get a chance to look at the restorations before they are permanently cemented!

Ace Jovanovski, DMD · Answer

Lab fees VARY, drastically, especially for higher end laboratories. Infact, I have paid upwards of $900/unit to Japanese master ceramists, with amazing results (You get what you pay for). However, the majority of the patient population does not accept an additional $1000 fee per crown.  On the other end of the spectrum, I have seen advertisements for as little as $49/crown from oversees outsourcing mega-labs. I allow my patients to preview/review the crowns before they are cemented permanently. We have a QC checklist to review: Size, color, shape, length, brightness, etc. Infact, the provisional (temporary) crowns should be evaluated in the same fashion, for improved communication to the laboratory technician.

Neville Richter, DDS · Answer

OK, this is going to be hard, but I suggest you leave this dentist and find another who will make much better looking crowns. There are a number of things wrong in this photo. Those are porcelain fused to metal crowns and have a blue halo around the gum line which is 20th century dentistry. There are beautiful, all-porcelain materials that will produce a beautiful, natural result. The next point is that this doctor didn't do any homework in regards to length of crown needed in relation to bite.  This all should have been worked out before the final delivery of the crowns. These crowns are more square in shape than they should be and there are ways to fix this. As far as the lab bill, there is something fishy here...even the most high-end labs won't charge this for such common, outmoded material such as seen here.  And the doctor should not have a discussion with you about lab fees, this is business between the doctor and lab.

David M. Schertzer, DDS · Answer

$1,200 or $600 per crown in lab fees is EXTREMELY HIGH!!!Lab fee for an all ceramic crown usually ranges from $130-200 per crown. That at being said, if it is not right and needs to be corrected with replacing the just cemented crowns then I would not usually pass this on to my patients.  I consider this the cost of making patients happy with the dental treatment I provide them.

Should I pay another $1200 lab fee? (Photo)

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Answer: Paying lab bill?

Answer: Paying lab bill?

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Should I pay another $1200 lab fee? (Photo)

Answers (4)

Answer: Paying lab bill?

Answer: Paying lab bill?

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Recommended reading

Everything you need to know about Dental Crown

Our mission is to create a world where every investment in modern beauty is Worth It.