How Much Does a Dental Crown Cost in Australia?
The short answer.
Health funds' 2023-24 claims put the average charge for a ceramic crown at $1,703, with funds paying $725 on average and insured patients $978. X-rays, a build-up or root canal treatment are charged as separate items.
Health funds paid towards 353,457 ceramic crowns in the 2023-24 financial year, and the average charge for each was $1,703. If your dentist has just told you a tooth needs a crown, you probably have a quote in hand. You want to know whether it’s normal, and why two practices can quote such different amounts for the same tooth.
What a crown costs in Australia
On 2023-24 health fund claims, a ceramic crown cost $1,703 on average and the patient paid $978 of it, according to Private Healthcare Australia (PHA), the peak body for health funds.
| Item | Average charge | Average fund benefit | Average out of pocket |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ceramic crown (613) | $1,703 | $725 | $978 |
| Build-up before a crown (627) | $254 | $114 | $140 |
Source: Private Healthcare Australia, Typical prices of dental care, 2023-24 claims. These are published Australian figures, not Dental Spot’s fees.
PHA’s figures cover only crowns claimed on private health insurance. On its list of the most claimed major dental items, ceramic crowns come second and are the only crown type, which suggests most crowns funds pay for are now ceramic rather than porcelain on metal.
Dentists report similar fees. CHOICE’s fee guide, updated 9 March 2023 from the 2022 Dental Fees Survey by the Australian Dental Association (ADA), puts a porcelain on metal crown (item 615) at $1,678 on average, with most fees between $1,250 and $2,100. The ADA ran a newer survey in 2024, but only members can see its results, so 2022 is the latest public crown figure from dentists. All these figures are national; none of the sources gives a Sydney average.
The only 2026 figures by crown type come from the Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA). Its schedule sets what the Government pays a dentist to treat a veteran card holder, so it shows how crown types rank on price, not what a private patient typically pays.
What the Government pays a dentist for each type of crown
| Crown | Item | DVA fee (excl. GST) |
|---|---|---|
| Ceramic | 613 | $1,659.80 |
| Porcelain on metal (veneered) | 615 | $1,561.45 |
| Gold or other metal | 618 | $1,463.10 |
Source: Department of Veterans’ Affairs, Fee Schedule of Dental Services, 1 July 2026. These are published Australian figures, not Dental Spot’s fees.
What’s in a crown quote, and what’s billed separately
The crown item covers the crown and the appointments to prepare the tooth and fit it. Anything else, from the examination to work the tooth needs first, is a separate item with its own number. A quote that looks high may list items another quote leaves out, so compare two quotes item by item.
Items you may see on a crown quote
| Item | Item number | In the crown fee? | Average charge (PHA 2023-24) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Preparing the tooth, the scan or impression, and fitting | 613, 615 or 618 | Yes | Part of the crown fee |
| Temporary crown between appointments | No separate item | Normally yes | Part of the crown fee |
| Examination | 011 or 012 | No | $66 or $61 |
| X-ray | 022 | No | $45 each |
| 3D scan (CBCT), if needed | 026 | No | $148 |
| Build-up, rebuilding the tooth when it’s prepared | 627 | No | $254 |
| Post and core, for a root-filled tooth | 625 | No | No PHA figure (DVA pays $395.15) |
| Root canal treatment, per canal or visit | 415, 417, 419 | No | $237 to $385 per item |
The temporary crown is normally part of the crown fee because the ADA’s schedule says its provisional crown item, 631, shouldn’t be used for the temporary you wear while your crown is made.
At PHA’s average charges, a ceramic crown with a build-up and one X-ray comes to $2,002.
One crown with a build-up, at PHA’s 2023-24 average charges
| Item | Average charge |
|---|---|
| Ceramic crown (613) | $1,703 |
| Build-up (627) | $254 |
| One X-ray (022) | $45 |
| Total | $2,002 |
Source: Private Healthcare Australia, Typical prices of dental care, 2023-24 claims. These are published Australian figures, not Dental Spot’s fees.
For the same work, a quote that lists only the crown looks $299 lower than one that lists all three items. A root-filled tooth can add a post and core, and root canal treatment adds its own items, one for each canal or visit. Ask each practice whether its figure is the total for the tooth or the crown alone.
Why one crown costs more than another
A crown’s material sets its item number in the ADA’s schedule, so the material is the first thing to check when two quotes differ.
Item 613 is ceramic, which includes porcelain, lithium disilicate and zirconia. Item 615 is porcelain over a metal base, and item 618 is metal, usually gold. Dr James Pomfret, one of our dentists, says gold adapts to your bite and causes little wear on the teeth it bites against. Its drawback is the yellow colour, so it’s usually chosen for a back tooth.
A tooth with a large filling may need a build-up, and a root-filled tooth may need a post and core. If the tooth still needs root canal treatment, that comes first. If you’re weighing a root canal and crown against an implant, our comparison sets out both.
The ADA lists “laboratory charges and the cost of materials” among the things that shape a practice’s fees, alongside labour, the complexity of the work and local market forces.
What your health fund pays towards a crown
Funds paid 43% of the charge for a ceramic crown on average in 2023-24 (PHA), but what yours pays depends on your policy. Crowns fall under major dental cover, according to healthdirect.
Insurers can set any waiting period for extras, says the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing, and the Private Health Insurance Ombudsman says they range from two months to three years. The three policies below each wait 12 months for major dental.
Benefits for a ceramic crown (613) vary widely, as three policies show. ahm family extras pays $450.00 (at 1 April 2026). HIF Essential Extras pays $758.85, and HIF Top Extras pays $927.95 within a $1,500 annual limit for major dental (both at 1 January 2026).
Once you’ve used your annual limit, you pay the full fee until it resets. Ask whether the work can be done in stages, so the cost is spread across more than one year of fund limits.
If you can’t afford a crown right now
Ask your dentist what else could protect the tooth and what waiting would risk. healthdirect lists alternatives to ask about, including rebuilding the tooth with filling material, a bridge, dentures and veneers. A large filling can hold a tooth for a while, though it’s weaker than a crown and the tooth may crack.
healthdirect also says: “If you delay getting the final crown or filling after a root canal, there is a higher chance of your tooth breaking or needing to be removed.”
If you’re weighing treatment overseas, our guide to crowns in Thailand covers what to check first.
Frequently asked questions
Will Medicare pay for a crown?
Not for most adults: healthdirect says the Australian Government does not generally cover dental services. Adults with a Health Care Card or Pensioner Concession Card can use public dental services, where healthdirect says waits can be up to a year or more.
What is the cheapest type of crown?
In DVA’s 2026 schedule, an acrylic resin (plastic) crown, item 611, is the lowest at $1,141.30. Which suits depends on the tooth and how hard you bite on it.
Does a zirconia crown cost more than a porcelain one?
They share one item number, 613 (ceramic), so the item number won’t show a difference. Porcelain over a metal base is item 615, and DVA’s 2026 schedule pays $98.35 more for 613 than for 615.
Does a crown on a front tooth cost more?
The item numbers are the same for front and back teeth. The material chosen often differs, because a front crown has to match the teeth beside it.
Why do crowns cost so much?
Each crown is made to fit one tooth, and healthdirect says the procedure is likely to need 1 or 2 visits. The fee pays for the dentist’s time at those visits and for making the crown.
Can a tooth decay under a crown?
Yes. The crown can’t decay, but the tooth under it can, so clean along the gum line each day.
Talk to us
Fees depend on the treatment you need, so we give you an accurate quote at your consultation, before anything starts. Your quote lists the item numbers, so your fund can tell you its benefit. Nothing goes ahead until you say yes. One of our dentists plans and fits your crown or bridge. Both are made in our own lab, upstairs at 7 The Strand. Bring your fund card and we’ll claim through HICAPS when you pay, so you pay only the gap. Read about crowns and bridges at Dental Spot.
Sources
- Typical prices of dental care (2023-24) (another site), Private Healthcare Australia, October 2024
- How much does the dentist cost? (another site), CHOICE, updated 9 March 2023
- Dental Fees Survey 2022 (another site), Australian Dental Association, 16 January 2023
- Fee Schedule of Dental Services, effective 1 July 2026 (another site), Department of Veterans’ Affairs
- The Australian Schedule of Dental Services and Glossary, 13th edition (another site), Australian Dental Association
- ADA Fees Survey: your contribution is key (another site), Australian Dental Association, 17 August 2022
- Cost of dental care (another site), healthdirect
- Dental crown procedure (another site), healthdirect, 1 October 2025
- Waiting periods and exemptions (another site), Department of Health, Disability and Ageing
- Waiting periods for private health insurance (another site), Private Health Insurance Ombudsman
- Fund benefit examples: ahm family extras (another site) (1 April 2026), HIF Essential Extras (another site) and HIF Top Extras (another site) (1 January 2026)
This guide is general information, not advice about your own teeth. Your dentist can tell you what applies to you, including the risks of any treatment.
Any surgical or invasive procedure carries risks. Before proceeding, you should seek a second opinion from an appropriately qualified health practitioner.
