Dental prostheses: costs, types & options at a glance

The most important information in a nutshell

• Dental prostheses costs in comparison: If you need a crown, a dental bridge, or an implant, it can be really expensive for you. A single dental crown usually costs up to €1,300, a dental bridge up to €2,100 and an implant up to €3,400.
• Public health insurance contributes to medically a necessary dental prosthesis with a fixed allowance. This subsidy is usually between 50% and 75% of the total costs for crowns and bridges. However, only the most favorable solution is subsidized: if, for example, you want higher-quality material, you have to bear the additional costs yourself.
• Dental implants are not part of the standard treatment and are only covered by the public health insurance in exceptional cases. The benefits of supplementary dental insurance close this gap in coverage and protect against high costs for dental prostheses.

Why do I need dental prostheses at all?

People need different types of dental prostheses or tooth replacements at any age. For example, if you suffer from a disease such as periodontitis or caries, which can lead to tooth loss if left untreated, or if you have lost one or more teeth in an accident, then you will need dentures even at a young age.

Even if your partner knocked out your front tooth during boxing training, you probably don't ask yourself this question: In this case, it is simply a question of aesthetics, among other things. But what if a molar tooth is missing that is not visible anyway? Even then, it makes sense to replace the missing teeth. Otherwise, your chewing function may be limited, the teeth may shift or problems with the jaw joint may arise. The formation of sounds can also suffer from missing teeth. It is best to consult a dentist you trust and, if in doubt, get several opinions.

We would like to answer the types of dentures as well as the procedures, costs and risks involved in treatment with the help of the 11 most frequently asked questions on the subject - so that you are best prepared for your new teeth!

Fixed dentures

Fixed dentures include partial dental crowns, fill dental crowns and dental bridges.

• A dental crown or partial dental crown is used when a tooth is so badly damaged that a simple filling would no longer guarantee sufficient stability for the tooth. It replaces the missing tooth structure and is placed over the natural tooth like a protective cap. It can be made of metal or tooth-colored ceramic.
• A dental bridge, as the name suggests, connects the remaining teeth in front of and behind a gap via a tooth placed in between, thus closing it invisibly. This is always possible if the remaining teeth are strong and resilient. It can also be made of metal or ceramic.
• A dental implant is an artificial tooth root that is anchored in the jawbone. A dental prosthesis is then attached to it with the help of a connecting piece. This can be either a crown or a bridge.

Removable dental prostheses

Unlike fixed dental prostheses, removable dentures are not firmly attached to your natural teeth. There are not only the classic dentures, i.e. a complete denture when there are no teeth left at all, but also different types of partial dentures.

A distinction is made between purely removable partial dentures and so-called combined fixed-removable dentures. Such restorations are always used when too many of your own teeth have been lost and fixed bridges are therefore no longer possible.

Purely removable dentures hold on to your natural teeth with clasps.

Combined dental prostheses

In addition to fixed dental prostheses and removable dentures, there is also a combination of the two.

In the case of combined fixed-removable partial dentures, they are connected to your teeth via different types of special dental crowns. This gives them much greater stability in the mouth greatly increases the comfort of wearing and chewing.

These dentures include, for example, the telescopic dental prosthesis, the attachment dental prosthesis, the bar dental prothesis and the push-button dental prosthesis.

But all removable or combined dentures have one thing in common: even if they have not been in the water glass overnight for a long time, they must be removed from the mouth at least twice a day for brushing.

Dental crowns, dentures, implants, etc. - What are the advantages and disadvantages of dental prostheses?

A suitable dental prosthesis can be a great relief. However, it is not always easy to decide between the different types and there are often so many options that it is easy to lose track.

That's why we want to give you a little help here in making your decision:

• Fixed dental prostheses, i.e. partial dental crowns, fill dental crowns or dental bridges on your own teeth or on implants come closest to your natural teeth and cannot be distinguished from them either visually or in terms of chewing feel. However, you will have to be a little more patient when deciding to use implants. Since they have to grow firmly into your jaw over several months, it takes a little time for your tooth gap to disappear.
• Removable or combined fixed-removable dentures are particularly suitable in cases where many teeth have already been lost and their replacement with implants is not feasible for medical or financial reasons. But especially a combination of removable partial dentures and suitable dental crowns for anchoring in the mouth, allows also in these cases, after a short acclimatization, a comfortable and safe chewing feeling. Depending on the effort and technique, these partial dentures are also barely visible.
• Purely removable dentures and partial dentures can often be helpful in bridging waiting times after implant surgery. But even if more extensive pretreatment of your teeth is necessary before the final restoration with dental prosthesis, these partial dentures can quickly and inexpensively restore your chewing function.

The after-effects and advantages of dentures at a glance:

What is the procedure for a dental implant?

Patients usually have many questions about how the dental implant treatment process works. For the patient, this is not much different from other operations. You have to go through these stages for your new teeth:

1. During a preliminary consultation with the dentist, you will be informed about your options.
2. This is followed by a complete examination of your dentition, during which it is determined, for example, whether there is sufficient jawbone or whether there is an inflammation that needs to be treated before the implantation.
3. Now your implant procedure is planned - usually with the help of 3D technology. You will also receive a cost overview of your treatment.
4. On the day of the operation, the implant is usually inserted painlessly under local anesthesia, but nitrous oxide or a general anesthetic are also possible after consultation.
5. During the operation, a hole is drilled in your jaw in the place where the implant will later be placed, which corresponds exactly to the shape of the implant. The implant is then inserted there. The surgical wound is then sutured tightly and the implant can grow together with your jawbone undisturbed in the coming months.
6. During the first days after the operation, you must refrain from nicotine, alcohol, coffee, and exhausting sports. Moderate exercise is allowed.
7. In rare cases, complications may occur after the treatment. For example, the area around the implant and the jawbone can become inflamed - this is called peri-implantitis. If you feel pain, even years after the operation, you should contact your doctor as soon as possible.

How much do dental prostheses cost?

Do you brush your teeth thoroughly every day and regularly go for professional dental cleaning and check-ups? Nevertheless, sooner or later your teeth may be damaged to such an extent that you need dental prostheses. What are the options then? What do dental crowns, dental bridges, and implants cost? What does the public health insurance cover and how high is your own contribution to dental prostheses? We will clarify these questions below.

The cost of dental prostheses is determined by several factors. Depending on which tooth is missing, how healthy your remaining teeth are, which material is used, and which laboratory is chosen, several thousand euros can quickly add up.

Dental prostheses come in different forms: Dental crowns and implants are considered fixed prostheses. The cost is around €1,300 for a single crown and up to €3,400 for an implant. If you need additional bone augmentation in the jaw before treatment, it will be even more expensive.

Telescopic dentures and full dentures are removable dental prostheses and cost up to €850, depending on the model. You have not been very careful with your oral hygiene in the past and would like to have completely new teeth made? The costs for this are open - but you should expect at least €20,000 for a complete dental restoration with implants.

Are dental prostheses paid for by health insurance?

If you have public health insurance and need to have missing or diseased teeth replaced, your first question will probably be whether your health insurance will cover the cost of dentures. In principle, the public health insurance only covers basic medical care. If you have pain when chewing or if there is a threat of serious dental and jaw problems due to your missing teeth, the dental prosthesis is considered medically necessary. In this case, you will receive a fixed allowance for dental prostheses from your health insurance.

After the diagnosis, the dentist must prepare a treatment and cost plan for you, which you must submit to the health insurance company. Your health insurance usually covers about half of the average cost of this basic medical care. You usually have to pay the rest out of your own pocket. A higher fixed subsidy and thus a lower personal contribution is usually only available if you can show a complete bonus booklet or if the hardship regulation applies to you, for example because you are a Hartz IV recipient.

If you want higher-quality dental fillings, an aesthetic ceramic bridge or crown, or even a visually inconspicuous dental implant, you always have to pay the additional costs yourself. This is where supplementary dental insurance comes into play: depending on the tariff selected, it compensates for the lack of protection provided by the statutory health insurance and pays for the additional private medical services at the dentist. You no longer have to worry about the financial burden of high-quality dentures.

How much is the fixed allowance for a dental crown?

If a tooth is extensively damaged, for example because a significant part has broken off or is affected by caries, the dentist will probably recommend a crown as a tooth replacement. This is a kind of shell that is placed partially or completely around the damaged tooth - dentists distinguish between a full dental crown and a partial crown. People with statutory health insurance receive a fixed allowance for standard care, i.e. for the most favorable option of having a crown made. The fixed allowance is currently 60% of the treatment costs. If the patient keeps a bonus book for five years, the fixed allowance is 70%, and after ten years it is 75%.

If the tooth to be crowned lies within the mouth in the visible area, there is an additional allowance for a lip-side ceramic, i.e. for a veneer. Public health insurance also pays a subsidy for an additional post anchorage. If you qualify for the hardship provision, public health insurance will cover up to 100% of the costs for a medically necessary crown. However, the treatment and cost plan must be approved by public health insurance before treatment. Depending on which tooth must be crowned, whether you can show a complete bonus booklet and whether the hardship regulation applies to you, the total subsidy for a dental crown is currently up to € 429.96.

What does public health insurance pay for implants?

Implants belong to the fixed dental prostheses: artificial tooth roots are anchored in the jawbone, which are fitted with dental crowns or bridges. This form of tooth replacement is both visually and functionally indistinguishable from natural teeth and is therefore very popular - but also expensive. The cost of a high-quality dental implant with a titanium root and ceramic crown is usually between €1,800 and €3,400.

Public health insurance does not normally cover this treatment. It only subsidizes the dental prosthesis on the implant as part of the standard care. All other costs, including regular check-ups and prescribed medication, are borne by the patient. Only in justified exceptional cases, for example if less expensive dentures are impossible due to severe jaw defects, does public health insurance fund dental implants.

What does the health insurance pay for dental bridges?

A dental bridge is used to close gaps between teeth. Natural, healthy teeth or implants are used as "abutments" to provide support for the bridge in the jaw. The dental bridge then replaces the missing tooth or teeth - it can be fixed or removable. Since dental bridges are part of the standard dental therapy, public health insurance contributes to the costs with a fixed subsidy: without a bonus booklet, the subsidy amounts to about half of the total costs. The amount depends, among other things, on the position of the bridge, the material used, and how good or bad the overall condition of the dentition is. A three-unit bridge restoration with zirconia can cost as much as €3,000.