What is the average cost of a crown from a dental lab?

Three variables explain most of the spread: material grade (monolithic zirconia is the cheapest tier, layered ceramics and high-noble metals are the most expensive), workflow (digital intake skips model-pour costs, analog PVS impressions add bench time), and the lab's overhead model. Offshore labs price 30% to 50% below domestic, but US labs carry FDA-registered material traceability, named-technician accountability, and the ability to speak directly with the bench on a case. The cheapest invoice is rarely the cheapest crown once remakes and chair time are counted.

Not always. The $90 number is usually a bulk-milled monolithic from a high-volume center with minimal hand finishing and stock-shade staining. The $180 crown typically includes custom shade work, occlusal anatomy refinement, and a named technician on the case. For a posterior #30 in a non-esthetic zone, the $90 unit often performs fine. For a premolar visible in the smile line or any anterior, the difference in characterization and contour adjustment is visible to the patient and the dentist within the first try-in.

Industry standard for a single-unit crown is 7 to 10 business days from case receipt to ship. Digital workflow cases (intraoral scan in, milled crown out) can compress to 5 business days without a rush fee. Rush turnaround under 5 days typically carries a 15% to 25% surcharge. Full-arch or implant-supported cases scale longer, 3 to 6 weeks depending on staging. Dani Dental ships single-unit crown cases on a documented 7-business-day standard, with digital cases routinely under 5.