Many factors affect the cost of dental crowns in San Francisco

A common, and understandable, concern for dental patients is the cost of treatment. They would like to know what the potential price might be before visiting the dental office. Unfortunately, there are too many variables involved to get an accurate estimate without visiting a dentist. The location of the patient and doctor is just one factor affecting the cost. Dental crowns in San Francisco CA are not going to cost the same as they would in another city or state. Some of the factors that also affect cost are:
- The training and experience of the dentist – A doctor fresh out of dental school may not charge as much as one with extensive advanced education. However, they also may not have the skills that are developed through experience.
- Insurance – If the patient has dental insurance, it may reduce the cost to the patient if the crown is not for cosmetic purposes. Insurance varies dramatically, and the percentage of cost that will be covered depends on the insurance company and the patient’s specific policy.
- Condition of the tooth – If the tooth requires minimal preparation the cost will be lower than it would be for a tooth that is too badly damaged to support a crown. In some cases, the dentist has to rebuild some missing tooth structure in order to place the crown.
- Material – Crowns are made of many different materials:
- Stainless steel
- Porcelain fused to non-precious metal
- Porcelain fused to precious metal
- Gold
- Pure porcelain