How much does a dental crown cost in NZ?

How much is it to get caps on your teeth?

A cap and a crown are the same thing: a custom-made cover that fits over the whole tooth above the gum. Each tooth is priced separately, so $1,700 is the national median for one ceramic cap (NZDA 2025 fee survey). Two crowns at the median cost $3,400 and four cost $6,800. Some practices take a little off when several crowns are prepared at one appointment; ask. For a front tooth that is sound but chipped or stained, a veneer covers only the front surface and costs about the same in porcelain, or much less in composite.

Ceramic, porcelain fused to metal or gold: which costs what?

Ceramic and porcelain-fused-to-metal crowns cost the same at the median, $1,700 in Auckland. Ceramic crowns, which include zirconia and pressed porcelain, match the colour of the teeth around them and are now what most practices fit by default. Porcelain fused to metal has a metal core under a porcelain layer; it is strong but can show a grey line at the gum. Gold is the dearest, a median of $2,000 in Auckland and up to $2,450 at the upper quartile, because of the metal itself. It is very hard-wearing and needs the least tooth removed, so some dentists still suggest it for back molars that nobody sees.

How much does a crown cost after a root canal?

The crown is billed on top of the root canal. At the national medians, a premolar with two canals comes to $1,254 + $1,700 = about $2,954, and a molar with three canals $1,600 + $1,700 = about $3,300. The root canal cost page has the total for every tooth type. Most dentists recommend a crown on a root-filled back tooth because it is more brittle and can split.

What does a crown quote usually include?

A crown takes two visits a week or two apart: one to shape the tooth, take a scan or impression and fit a temporary, and one to cement the finished crown. Some practices with an in-house milling machine make a ceramic crown the same day. At the Auckland medians, a crown on a cracked molar found at a check-up adds up to roughly:

• Examination $85 + one x-ray $30 = $115.
• Temporary crown $360, if it is charged separately.
• Ceramic crown $1,700.
• Total about $2,175. A core build-up (a filling to rebuild the tooth before the crown) is often extra, so ask whether the quote includes it.

Is a crown or a large filling better value?

A large filling is far cheaper on the day: a composite filling of four or more surfaces has an Auckland median of $450, against $1,700 for a crown. A crown is recommended when so little tooth is left that a filling is likely to break or the tooth to crack. If a dentist suggests a crown on a tooth that doesn't hurt, it's reasonable to ask what happens if you fill it and wait, and how long that might last.

How much is a bridge, and is it cheaper than an implant?

A bridge replaces a missing tooth by crowning the teeth either side and joining a false tooth between them. A three-unit bridge has a median of $4,500 in Auckland and nationally. A single dental implant costs about $5,940 at the national medians, so a bridge is a little cheaper, but it means cutting down two teeth that may be healthy. A partial denture is the cheapest way to fill a gap.

Does WINZ or ACC pay for a crown?

ACC contributes when a tooth was broken in an accident it has accepted, such as a fall or a knock playing sport, and a crown can be part of that treatment. Decay and wear are not covered. Work and Income's dental grant pays up to $1,000 a year for immediate and essential treatment, which is less than one crown at the $1,700 median, so expect to pay the rest or ask about recoverable assistance. For a tooth in pain with no money for a crown, the $40 hospital clinic will take it out.