Will My Dental Insurance Cover that Crown?

All insurance companies will cover PFM’s (porcelain fused to metal) crowns. Will insurance cover an all ceramic crown? In the past they would not. Today, certain insurance companies will cover an all ceramic crown. The only way to know for sure is to contact the patient's insurance carrier. If the answer is yes, you would submit the x-ray and narrative to explain why the tooth in question needs a crown. .Not to be confused with cosmetic applications, all-ceramic crowns that are prescribed as a necessary solution to a failing tooth are viewed the same as PFM’s by insurance carriers.

Dr Joseph Giovannone, a dentist from Dental Arts in Utica, NY said, “We find the reimbursements for an All-Ceramic crown ADA code # D2740 to be the same as for a PFM crown ADA code #2750”.

All-ceramic crowns are becoming the preferred choice of dentists nationwide over PFM’s for their high strength and low wear of opposing enamel. Zirconia all-ceramic crowns are prescribed when high strength at 1100 MPa is preferred. Zirconia is 3x the strength of a PFM (PFM=350 to 400 MPa). If a conservative prep is called for, Zirconia can be made thin (to a minimum thickness of 0.5mm) and can support a feathered edge gingival reduction margin. Zirconia is also used for esthetically pleasing bridges. ZirluxFC2, a superior Zirconia choice, can be used for posterior or anterior crowns.

Another widely accepted all-ceramic material choice is LD (lithium disilicate). Lithium Disilicate is arguably the most esthetic high strength ceramic material used for anterior crowns. An in-office milled LD has the strength of 360MPa. A Press LD crown has more strength, 400MPa, which is similar to that of a PFM.