Can I use an existing crown for an implant to reduce costs?

Question

I have a crown on the tooth to the left of my front teeth. It has disconnected from the setting and was cemented back in, and now it has fallen off again. My dentist recommended an implant, but the cost is absurd and my insurance says it's cosmetic. The implant is a three-part procedure, and the third part is the crown, correct? My crown is perfectly fine, it just doesn't have the grip needed to stay in. Can I use my existing crown as the crown for the implant to cut the cost of the procedure?

Lance Timmerman, DMD, MAGD · Answer

The crown is custom fit to each tooth or attachment.  It will need to be remade completely in order to attach to the implant.  There isn't any part of it that can be recycled/reused.

Kourosh Maddahi, DDS · Answer

Hi:Unfortunately your crown can not be used for the implant in the future.  A new crown has to be made that fits the new implant and abutment which will be different in size than the crown you used to have on your own tooth.Best,Dr. Maddahi

Jennifer Ebner, DDS · Answer

An Implant-retained crown is expensive, because it works! You will be very happy with your new crown attached to the implant. 
While the outside, biting surface of the crown may look the same, the underside attaching the crown to the implant is completely different that how it attaches to a tooth. It's like that box for toddlers-the square shape only goes in the square hole and the round shape only goes in the round hole.

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Can I use an existing crown for an implant to reduce costs?

Answers (3)

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