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The Great-West Life Assurance Company, London Life Insurance Company and The Canada Life Assurance Company have become one company – The Canada Life Assurance Company. Discover the new Canada Life

The Great-West Life Assurance Company, London Life Insurance Company and The Canada Life Assurance Company have become one company – The Canada Life Assurance Company. Discover the new Canada Life

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Freedom 55 Financial is a division of The Canada Life Assurance Company and the information you requested can be found here.

How much do dental crowns cost?

Key takeaways

  • A dental crown is a protective cap placed on a tooth by your dentist.
  • The average cost for a dental crown in Canada is between $900 and $1,500.
  • You may have some coverage for a dental crown through your workplace benefits, a personal insurance plan, or through government programs if you’re eligible and it meets the criteria.

What are dental crowns?

A dental crown is a cap that your dentist places to cover and protect a weak or damaged tooth.

Your dentist may do this because:

  • The tooth has had a root canal or you’ve got a dental implant.
  • The tooth is cracked, weak, or worn down.
  • You’ve got a dental bridge that the crown helps keep in place.

With proper care, a crown can last up to 15 years before it needs to be replaced. That said, most dental insurance will cover a replacement crown after 5 years.

What happens when you get a dental crown?

You will likely need 2 appointments for this procedure. In the first appointment, your tooth is prepared for the crown, which can include creating a mould that will be used to make your crown.

Permanent dental crowns can be made of different materials, including porcelain, metal and ceramic. You’ll likely leave your first appointment with a temporary crown made from stainless steel and return to your dentist in a few weeks to have your permanent crown fitted and glued in place when it’s ready.

That said, some dentists do use 3D-printing to make your crown and install it within a single appointment.

How much do dental crowns cost?

This will vary, based on factors like the type of crown, any prep work that might be needed beforehand, and your individual dentist’s pricing.

That said, many dentists base their prices on fee guides issued by each Canadian province or territory’s dental association. These are also the numbers insurance companies use when they’re calculating how much of a procedure’s cost is eligible for coverage. This means if your dentist charges more than the provincial fee guide price, you may have to pay more out of pocket.

To get a rough idea of what you might expect to pay for a crown, here are the suggested fees for a porcelain, ceramic or polymer glass crown in a few different provinces in 2024.

These suggested costs don’t include lab fees, which can vary, or other expenses that can be a part of getting a crown, like a root canal or installing a metal post to hold the crown in place.

Does health insurance cover dental crowns?

Certain Canadians may be eligible for some coverage under federal or provincial dental programs.

You may have some coverage through your workplace benefits plan or personal health insurance plan if you have opted for major dental coverage, which often includes dental crowns.

What’s next?

  • If you have workplace benefits or a personal health insurance plan, check to see if your current coverage includes dental crowns. If coverage is available, consider sending an estimate to your insurer to see how much of this cost will be covered by your plan.
  • If you don’t have coverage, look into a plan like Freedom to Choose health and dental insurance, which includes the option to add major dental coverage for most plans.

The information provided is based on current laws, regulations and other rules applicable to Canadian residents. It is accurate to the best of our knowledge as of the date of publication. Rules and their interpretation may change, affecting the accuracy of the information. The information provided is general in nature, and should not be relied upon as a substitute for advice in any specific situation. For specific situations, advice should be obtained from the appropriate legal, accounting, tax or other professional advisors. 

Want to learn more about Freedom to Choose™ health and dental insurance?

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