Dental crowns and bridges in Coffs Harbour and Dorrigo
A crown restores a damaged tooth. A bridge replaces a missing one. We make most of them by hand in our own lab, and each price includes the build-up, the temporary and adjustments.
Assessment $95. No referral needed.
- Crown or onlay
- $1,943
- Three-unit bridgeOne replacement tooth
- $4,536
- Maryland bridgeOne replacement tooth
- $2,304
Build-up, temporary and adjustments included. Fees ↓
DAMAGED TOOTH
Crown, onlay or filling?
A filling repairs the damaged part of a tooth. An onlay covers part of the biting surface. A crown covers the whole tooth. The less of your own tooth we remove, the better, so we only suggest covering a tooth when it needs it.
A well-made crown often lasts decades: in one Sydney study of more than 2,000 crowns, 85% were still in place after 25 years.
What decides it
- How much tooth is left
- The more of the tooth that’s missing, the more it needs covering to stop what’s left from breaking.
- A crack that hurts
- A crack that causes pain when you bite usually needs the tooth covered to hold it together.
- Root canal treatment
- A back tooth that has had root canal treatment is more brittle, and often needs covering.
- How important the tooth is
- A tooth that holds your bite together, or will support other work, is worth protecting more carefully.
- How it looks
- For a front tooth, appearance matters as much as strength.
At your assessment we go through these for your tooth, explain the options and their costs, and you decide.
MISSING TOOTH
Bridge or implant?
There are three fixed ways to replace one missing tooth. A bridge and an implant cost about the same here, so you can choose on what suits your mouth, not on price.
BRIDGE · $4,536
Conventional bridge
The replacement tooth is joined to crowns on the teeth either side. Usually two visits.
- Suits you if
- The teeth either side already need crowns.
- Tradeoff
- Two teeth are reshaped to replace one.
BRIDGE · $2,304
Maryland bridge
A thin wing bonds the replacement tooth to the back of one neighbouring tooth. Usually two visits.
- Suits you if
- A front tooth is missing and the tooth beside it is healthy.
- Tradeoff
- It can come unstuck, though it can often be re-bonded.
IMPLANT · $4,500
Implant
A titanium implant in the jaw holds the new tooth, so the teeth either side are left alone. 4–6 visits over 4–8 months.
- Suits you if
- The teeth either side are healthy and there’s enough bone.
- Tradeoff
- It needs surgery and months of healing.
The drawings are simplified. Longer bridges are quoted individually. The implant price is for a back tooth, including the crown.
FEES
Fees
Each price includes any core build-up, the temporary and adjustments after fitting.
If you have extras cover, we claim on the spot with HICAPS, so you pay only the gap on the day. Your assessment ends with a written quote, before any work starts.
- Assessment
- $95
- Crown or onlay
- $1,943
- Three-unit bridgeOne replacement tooth on two crowns
- $4,536
- Maryland bridgeOne replacement tooth
- $2,304
- Root canal treatmentOnly if the tooth needs it first
- $900–$1,600
MADE IN OUR LAB
Finished by hand
Between your two visits, your crown or bridge is made in our own lab. We match its colour to your teeth, then add the details that make a tooth look natural: the slight translucency at the edge, and the way the shade deepens towards the gum. Each one is characterised individually and glazed by hand, so it suits your teeth rather than a standard shade.
At the first visit we shape the tooth, scan it and fit a temporary. At the second, we fit the finished work.
About our lab ↗
QUESTIONS
Common questions
Does getting a crown hurt?
The tooth is numbed first, so shaping it shouldn’t hurt. It can feel tender for a few days afterwards.
How long do crowns and bridges last?
Often decades. In a Sydney study of more than 2,000 crowns, 97% were still in place after 10 years and 85% after 25. About three in four conventional bridges were still in place after 20 years, and zirconia Maryland bridges bonded to one tooth lasted 15 years in 97% of cases.
The longest studies are of gold-based crowns; today’s ceramic crowns have done as well in the years studied so far. In these studies, most failures came from decay in the tooth underneath, not the crown breaking, so regular check-ups and cleaning around the crown matter most.
Sources: Walton 2013 · De Backer et al. 2006 · Kern et al. 2025 · Pjetursson et al. 2026
What are crowns made from?
Usually zirconia or lithium disilicate. Zirconia is very strong, and high-translucency zirconia looks natural at the front too. Lithium disilicate lets light through much like natural enamel. Which suits your tooth depends mostly on your bite. How our lab makes them ↗
Should I whiten my teeth first?
If you’re planning to, yes. A crown is matched to your teeth as they are, and its colour can’t be changed later.
Can I have my crown done at Dorrigo?
Yes. All our dentists do crowns and bridges, at both Coffs Harbour and Dorrigo.
BOOK
Book an assessment
$95. Tell us which tooth is bothering you. If another dentist has given you a treatment plan, bring it and we’ll give you our view.
166 Edinburgh Street, Coffs Harbour
8 Hickory Street, Dorrigo