How much does a dental crown cost in Cape Town?

There is no fixed national price for a dental crown in South Africa, and the cost varies widely, driven mainly by the material used and how much work the tooth needs first. A written quotation from the practice, after an examination, is the only reliable way to know what your own crown will cost.

In short

• Each dental practice sets its own fees for crowns, and there is no government price list for private dental treatment.
• The cost of a crown varies widely, driven mainly by the material used and the laboratory work involved.
• A crown normally takes two appointments about one to two weeks apart, since it is custom-made by a dental laboratory to fit your tooth.
• Medical aid schemes generally treat a crown as specialised dentistry, with its own separate, often modest, yearly limit, and pre-authorisation is usually required.
• A written quotation from the practice, after an examination, is the only reliable way to know the cost of your own crown.

This article is part of the crowns and bridges information on this site for patients in Cape Town.

What does having a crown fitted involve?

A crown is a cover, sometimes called a cap, that fits over a damaged or weakened tooth to protect it and restore its normal shape. Your dentist usually recommends one when a tooth has broken, has a large filling that leaves too little natural tooth structure to support it, or comes after root canal treatment, when a tooth can be more brittle. See How much does a root canal cost in Cape Town? if that is why you are here. Fitting a crown normally takes two visits. At the first, the tooth is reshaped under local anaesthetic, a mould is taken, and a temporary crown is fitted while the permanent one is custom-made, usually by a dental laboratory. About one to two weeks later, the permanent crown, made from porcelain, metal, or a combination of the two, is checked for fit and appearance and cemented into place.

What drives the cost of a crown?

The material makes the biggest visible difference. An all-ceramic or porcelain crown generally costs more than a metal or porcelain-fused-to-metal crown, though the right choice depends on where the tooth sits in the mouth and how much bite force it carries, not only on appearance. What the tooth needs before the crown can be fitted also adds to the total, since a core build-up or root canal treatment is usually quoted separately. The laboratory that makes the crown charges its own fee, which the practice passes on, and a same-day crown made using in-house equipment is priced differently from one sent to an outside laboratory. As with other dental fees, the practice’s running costs and location play a part too.

How do South African medical aids treat crowns?

Medical aid schemes generally place crowns in a specialised dentistry category, separate from everyday check-ups and fillings, and usually require pre-authorisation before treatment starts. These scheme limits are not a practice’s fee, and many dentists charge more than the scheme pays, so the gap is usually a co-payment met by the patient. Cover is often limited to a set number of crowns within a period of several years, and some schemes group a crown together with other “dental appliances”, such as bridges and dentures, under a single combined yearly limit, while entry-level plans may not cover a crown at all. Cosmetic crown work, and a crown on a third molar, are common exclusions. What dental work does medical aid usually not cover? covers more of these limits and exclusions.

How do I reach Dr Davies?

For a figure for your own crown, call the practice’s reception, where fees are discussed, and ask for a written quotation after an examination. BRS Dental is not registered with medical aids, so it does not claim from them directly, but reception can help you submit your claim to your medical aid. For anything clinical, such as whether a crown is the right option for your tooth, contact Dr Davies. Cover and limits differ from scheme to scheme, so check your own plan too.