Crown, Bridge, and Implant Costs
Added: September 06, 2009 - 6:08 PM
By: cutter500@hotmail.com, Charlotte, NC
Need Dentist / Specialist:
Yes
Provide Cost Estimate:
Yes
X-rays Available:
No
Case Summary
Crown
Bridge
Dental Implants
Teeth: 1,4,14,15,16
Last Full Mouth X-Ray: n/a
Last Cleaning: n/a
Case Description
Due to the fact the Charlotte Dental Society suggests to dentists they keep prices within a certain range there is little competition in the Charlotte area. It's basically price fixing. Check the pricing in any zip code if you don't believe me. Sadly since there is little competition most dentists quote you about the same prices for crowns, bridges, and implants in the Charlotte area. After that quite a few will scam you for a build-up so they can keep their 3-4 day work-weeks. Plus most will argue that is quite fair in their minds. Without competition thousands go without dental care and are exploited by these outrageous prices. Greed is what stimulates the dental business in Charlotte. As one leading endo in Charlotte quoted to me the dental prices in Charlotte are some of the highest in the country and there is no such thing as cheap or affordable when you're considering dental work in Charlotte.
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Reply: Crown, Bridge, and Implant Costs
added: September 07, 2009 - 8:28 AM
Cost Estimate: $980 crown/ no charge consultation
I go to some of the Charlotte Dental Society Meetings for continuing education, although I practice in another county. Fees are never mentioned at any of the meetings. To discuss fees would violate government regulations. Most dentists charge fees that take into consideration their overhead (rent, lab fees) and their personal opinion of what they are worth. It is possible to get lower fees in different ways. High volume dental clinics with their own labs, such as in Florence SC, and a few local clinics, usually give much lower fees. They typically hire dentist just out of school and have 6 day work weeks. This is a way young dentists can help payback the typical $300000 worth of loans for their education. Personally, I chose a different path, with seeing just lesspatients per day and giving them my complete attention. I take continuing educations classes on my Fridays and usually average 150 hrs per year for that. Specifically, in your case, Implant costs run from $1800 to $2150 for the top specialists that I use to do that part of my patients cases. By "top" I mean ones where neither I, nor the patients, can expect problems at a later time. I have been restoring implants for over 20 years and at the beginning of that time, implants were $1500. In our office, we charge $980 for a porcelain-fused-to-highnoble metal crown. We do buildups (and charge additional for them) if the their is limited tooth structure left to hold the crown. (keeps the crown from coming off)
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