A crown on the NHS costs £332.10 in England. Crowns are Band 3 treatment, the highest of the three NHS charge bands, and that single fee covers the crown along with any examinations, X-rays or fillings needed in the same course of treatment. Some patients pay nothing.
How Much for a Crown Tooth on the NHS, and What Does the Fee Include?
The £332.10 Band 3 charge covers the entire course of treatment, not the crown alone. That includes the examination, any X-rays needed to assess the tooth, the preparation appointment, the laboratory work, the temporary crown you wear in between, and the fitting.
It also absorbs any lower-band work carried out in the same course. If your dentist treats a cavity or carries out root canal treatment on the way to fitting the crown, that is included rather than charged on top.
The charge is set nationally by the Department of Health and Social Care and is identical at every NHS practice in England. It rose from £326.70 in April 2026 and is reviewed each April. You should receive a written treatment plan showing the band and the charge before any work begins.
What Are the 3 NHS Dental Charges?
NHS dental treatment in England is grouped into three bands, and you pay one charge for the highest band your treatment reaches.
Band 1 costs £27.90 and covers examination, diagnosis, X-rays where clinically needed, advice, and a scale and polish where clinically needed. Band 2 costs £76.60 and covers everything in Band 1 plus fillings, root canal treatment and extractions. Band 3 costs £332.10 and covers everything in Bands 1 and 2 plus anything made in a dental laboratory, which is where crowns sit alongside dentures and bridges.
Urgent treatment is charged separately at £27.90. The current charges are also published on our NHS treatments page, and you can read the full band descriptions on NHS.uk.
Can You Get a Crown on the NHS?
Yes, when a crown is clinically necessary. NHS dentistry covers the treatment needed to keep your mouth, teeth and gums healthy and free of pain, and a crown qualifies when a tooth is too damaged or too heavily filled to be restored any other way.
The distinction is clinical need rather than appearance. If a tooth can be adequately restored with a filling, a crown may not be available on the NHS for that tooth. A crown wanted purely to change how a healthy tooth looks is a cosmetic treatment and would be arranged privately.
Your dentist makes that judgement after examining the tooth and reviewing X-rays. High Street Smiles is accepting NHS patients and places dental crowns under NHS Band 3 where they are clinically necessary.
What Are NHS Crowns Made Of?
Under the NHS your dentist selects the material that is clinically appropriate for the tooth being treated, taking into account where the tooth sits, how much natural structure remains and the forces it has to withstand.
For a back tooth you may be offered a metal coloured crown, because strength matters more than appearance on a molar doing the work of chewing. NHS.uk confirms this is standard practice and that you can discuss alternatives with your dentist. You cannot usually select the material yourself on the NHS.
If you would prefer a different material, your dentist can explain what is available privately along with the risks, benefits and costs. Those figures are published on our private fees page.
How Much Is a White Crown on the NHS?
A white crown on the NHS costs £332.10, the same Band 3 charge as any other crown, provided it is clinically appropriate for that tooth.
Tooth coloured crowns are generally available on the NHS for front teeth, where appearance forms part of the clinical judgement. For back teeth the NHS position is different, and a metal coloured crown may be recommended instead. Wanting a white crown on a molar for appearance alone is treated as a preference rather than a clinical need, and would be arranged privately.
The band charge does not change according to material. What changes is which materials your dentist can offer on the NHS for the tooth in question.
What Happens If You Need Other Treatment at the Same Time?
You pay one charge per course of treatment, at the highest band that course reaches. This is the part patients most often get wrong.
If you need a check up, two fillings and a crown, you pay £332.10 in total. You do not pay £27.90 for the examination, then £76.60 for the fillings, then £332.10 for the crown. The Band 3 charge absorbs the lower bands.
There is also a two month rule. If you need further treatment within two months of completing a course, and that treatment falls in the same band or a lower one, there is no additional charge. If it falls in a higher band, you pay the difference up to that band.
Some patients are quoted the Band 3 charge plus a separate private amount. That happens when you have chosen to upgrade part of the work to a private option. Ask your dentist to show you in writing which elements are NHS and which are private before treatment starts.
Which Benefits Entitle You to Free Dental Treatment?
A significant number of people pay nothing for NHS dental treatment, including crowns. You qualify for free NHS dental care in England if you are:
- Under 18, or under 19 and in qualifying full time education
- Pregnant, or you have had a baby in the previous 12 months
- Receiving Income Support, income based Jobseeker’s Allowance or income related Employment and Support Allowance
- Receiving Pension Credit Guarantee Credit
- Receiving Universal Credit and meeting the earnings criteria
- Named on a valid HC2 certificate through the NHS Low Income Scheme
If your income is low but you do not receive a qualifying benefit, the NHS Low Income Scheme may still cover part or all of the charge, and an HC3 certificate provides partial help. Details and application forms are on the NHSBSA website.
Bring proof of your exemption to your appointment. Claiming an exemption you are not entitled to can result in a penalty charge.
Do Over-60s Get Free Dental Treatment?
No. Reaching 60, retiring or drawing the State Pension does not by itself entitle you to free NHS dental treatment in England. This is one of the most common misunderstandings about NHS dental charges.
Older patients qualify on the same terms as everyone else, through a qualifying benefit or the NHS Low Income Scheme. Pension Credit Guarantee Credit does entitle you to free treatment, but the basic State Pension does not. Many pensioners who assume they are exempt are not, and many who would qualify through the Low Income Scheme have never applied.
If you are unsure, check before your appointment rather than after. Arrangements differ elsewhere in the UK, so this applies to treatment in England.
How Long Does a Crown Take?
Most crowns take two to three weeks from preparation to fitting, across two appointments.
At the first appointment the tooth is numbed and shaped so the crown can sit over it, then scans or impressions are taken and sent to the dental laboratory. This visit takes around 90 minutes. You leave with a temporary crown protecting the tooth while the permanent one is made.
The second appointment is much shorter, usually 20 to 30 minutes, and involves checking the fit and bite before the crown is cemented into place. If you are having several teeth treated, or the tooth needs root canal treatment first, your dentist will give you a timeline for your own case.
What Happens If an NHS Crown Comes Loose or Fails?
Contact the practice that fitted it. NHS treatment carries a 12 month guarantee on work of this kind, so a crown that fails within 12 months of being fitted should normally be repaired or replaced at no further charge, provided you return to the same practice and have not had private work on that tooth in the meantime.
If a crown comes loose outside that period, refitting it is classed as urgent treatment and charged at £27.90 rather than a further Band 3 fee. Keep the crown if it comes away cleanly and bring it with you.
Do not attempt to refix a crown at home. The exposed tooth underneath is vulnerable to decay and the crown can be swallowed or inhaled.
How Do I Register for an NHS Dentist?
Contact a practice directly and ask whether it is taking NHS patients. There is no national NHS dental register and no waiting list you can join centrally, so registration means being accepted onto a specific practice’s list. NHS treatment, including crowns, cannot begin until you have been.
You can search for practices taking NHS patients through the NHS website, then call to confirm, because listings are not always current. Once accepted you will usually be invited in for an examination, which is a Band 1 appointment at £27.90 unless you are exempt.
High Street Smiles is currently accepting NHS patients in Warrington. To ask about availability, book a consultation or call the practice on 01942 726 983.
Booking an NHS Crown in Warrington
High Street Smiles provides NHS and private dental care from 107/109 High Street in Golborne, Warrington, and sees patients from across Warrington, Newton-le-Willows, St Helens and Wigan.
If a tooth is broken, heavily filled or uncomfortable, the first step is an examination so your dentist can see whether a crown is the right treatment. You will be told which band applies and what it will cost before anything is agreed.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Much Do Crowns Cost on the NHS?
A crown costs £332.10 on the NHS in England, charged as Band 3. The fee covers the full course of treatment, including any lower band work carried out alongside it. Two crowns fitted in the same course still cost £332.10 in total, not £332.10 each.
What Are the NHS Dental Charges in England?
There are three bands. Band 1 is £27.90, Band 2 is £76.60 and Band 3 is £332.10, with urgent treatment charged at £27.90. You pay one charge per course of treatment at the highest band your treatment reaches.
How Much for a White Crown on the NHS?
A white crown costs £332.10 on the NHS where it is clinically appropriate, most commonly on a front tooth. There is no separate NHS charge for a tooth coloured crown. On a back tooth a metal coloured crown may be recommended instead.
Do Pensioners Get Free Dental Treatment?
Not automatically. Pension Credit Guarantee Credit entitles you to free NHS dental treatment, but the basic State Pension does not. Pensioners on low incomes who do not receive a qualifying benefit may still get help through the NHS Low Income Scheme.
How Long Do NHS Crowns Last?
Most crowns last between 10 and 20 years. Longevity depends on the material, the position of the tooth and how well the crown is cared for. Brushing, cleaning between the teeth and attending regular check ups all extend the life of a crown.
High Street Smiles
107/109 High Street, Golborne, Warrington, WA3 3BZ
Telephone: 01942 726 983
Website: highstreetsmiles.co.uk
Monday to Thursday: 09:00 to 13:00 and 14:00 to 17:30
Friday: 08:15 to 14:00
Saturday and Sunday: Closed
