Compare lab pricing the way it actually adds up: base fee plus design plus rush plus remake plus shipping. A practical framework dentists use before signing — Dandy, Glidewell, Argen, or any traditional lab.
Most dentists compare base fees and stop. The real cost lives below the surface — design, rush, remake, shipping, scanner subscription. Here's the iceberg, drawn to scale.
Most fee schedules quote a single number: $99 crown, $189 implant crown, $349 zirconia bridge unit. That number rarely matches what you pay at the end of the year. The real cost has six components:
Two labs quoting the same base fee can have a 30-40% difference in real annual cost depending on how these six components are bundled.
Three categories dominate the US lab market. Each has a different pricing logic:
| Category | Examples | Pricing logic | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Digital-first | Dandy, Glidewell Direct, SmileTech, Sprintray Cloud | Bundled fee covers scanning workflow + design + shipping. Locked into platform. | High-volume practices already using IOS scanners; low admin tolerance. |
| Traditional national | Glidewell, Argen, Modern Dental Group, Hass Lab | Lower base fee, fees for design / rush / shipping itemized. More flexibility. | Mid-volume practices; complex cases; teams comfortable managing multiple line items. |
| Local independent | Independent labs in your metro area | Negotiable per-case pricing. Often cheapest base fee. Variable digital integration. | Practices that want personal relationship; complex aesthetic cases; willing to manage logistics. |
| In-network insurance labs | DentalDirect, network preferred | Lowest unit fee but case requires insurance pre-auth and is restricted in materials. | Insurance-heavy patient base where the fee schedule is fixed regardless. |
These are typical 2026 US market ranges from public lab fee schedules and reported dentist surveys. Treat as a starting point; always confirm directly with the lab.
| Case type | Digital-first range | Traditional range | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| PFM crown (single) | $99-149 | $79-129 | Digital-first usually bundles design + shipping |
| Zirconia crown (monolithic) | $129-189 | $99-159 | Layered zirconia adds 25-40% |
| e.max crown | $159-219 | $129-179 | Aesthetic anterior cases |
| 3-unit bridge (zirconia) | $349-499 | $249-399 | Per-unit pricing, abutments + pontic |
| Implant crown (screw-retained) | $299-449 | $229-389 | Custom abutment may add $80-180 |
| All-on-X provisional | $1,200-2,400 | $900-1,800 | Massive variation by lab and material |
| Removable partial (cast) | $249-399 | $199-329 | Many digital-first don't offer; check first |
| Complete denture (set) | $799-1,400 | $599-1,100 | Full set, immediate variants priced higher |
True cost = Base + Design + Shipping + (Rush rate × Rush surcharge) + (Remake rate × Base)
Example for a single PFM crown:
$130 base + $25 design + $20 shipping + 30% rush rate × $40 rush surcharge + 8% remake rate × $130 base = $197 per crown all-in, not $130.
Apply to your last 100 cases for a real comparison. The lab with the highest base fee often has the lowest true cost per case if their remake rate is low and they don't itemize rush and design.
Get all answers in writing before your first case. The labs that respond fastest and most clearly are usually the ones that price most transparently.
The headline price is rarely the real cost. Two labs can quote the same crown fee but charge very differently for design, rush, remake, shipping, and scanner subscriptions. Compare the all-in cost over 100 cases, not the per-unit base fee.
Public information indicates Dandy crown fees range roughly from $99 to $189 per unit depending on material and complexity, with all-in pricing that bundles design and shipping. Specific fees vary by region, contract, and volume tier. Always request a current fee schedule directly from any lab — published numbers age fast.
Six common hidden costs: rush fees (often 50-100% surcharge), design fees (sometimes $20-40 per unit), remake fees outside warranty, shipping ($15-40 per case), scanner subscription fees, and minimum monthly volume penalties. Ask each lab to itemize all of these in writing.
Digital-first labs typically bundle scanning, design, and shipping into one fee with the trade-off of being locked into their platform. Traditional labs often have lower per-unit fees but charge separately for design, shipping, and rush. Digital-first wins on simplicity for high-volume; traditional often wins on flexibility for low-to-mid volume.
Real cost = base fee + design fee + shipping + (rush rate × rush surcharge) + (remake rate × base). A lab quoting $130 with $25 design, $20 shipping, 30% rush at $40, and 8% remake adds up to roughly $194 per crown all-in — not $130.
Ten questions covering fee schedule, rush policy, design fee policy, remake warranty, shipping, scanner compatibility, turnaround, volume discounts, cancellation terms, and case-tracking tools. Get all answers in writing.
No, but they are different. The cheapest labs often achieve their price through offshoring final fabrication, less senior technicians, fewer photo gates, or longer turnaround. The real question is not 'which is cheapest' but 'which gives me the lowest remake rate at a price I can charge my patient'.
TrazaLab is not a dental lab — it is the case-management software that labs use to deliver work transparently to dentists. If your current lab uses TrazaLab, you see your case in real time: photos, design files, technician notes, expected delivery date. The lab still sets its own fees; TrazaLab makes the cost transparent and eliminates miscommunication that drives remakes. See alternatives to Dandy or start a 14-day trial.
If your lab runs on TrazaLab, you see every case in real time — fees, status, photos, design files. 14-day free trial, no credit card.