Denture Fees

[actittle]

Hey guys I need some input.

I'm trying to get into the high-end denture market but I really don't know what to charge.
We are primarily a high-end C&B lab but we get the occasional request for dentures too.

For an example of what our normal fees for C&B are we charge $275 plus alloy for a high noble PFM, $375 for PFZ, etc.

The removable lab that my doc normally uses only charges $75 for setting the teeth (including the cost of teeth).
The teeth I'm using (Vita Phisiodens and Lingoforms) cost me about $80 per arch so obviously charging $75 isn't going to work.
I want my fees as high as possible without being ludicrous.

All that being said, what are most people charging for the following services (per arch)?

Stabilized baseplate and bite rim
Setting teeth (full arch)
Final festooning, Process and finish (hand pack, heat cure Lucitone 199)
Implant case with Locator attatchments, how much per attatchment
Processing over a bar

 

[MasterCeramist]

I believe the new lmt mag has fees and national averages in it for a starting point.

 

[actittle]

I believe the new lmt mag has fees and national averages in it for a starting point.

I saw that but the averages seem awfully low to me.

 

[rkm rdt]

Can you do a time study and insert what you feel you hourly wage should be?

 

[DevonR]

For a high end denture, I would think it should be injected, not hand pack

Hey guys I need some input.

I'm trying to get into the high-end denture market but I really don't know what to charge.
We are primarily a high-end C&B lab but we get the occasional request for dentures too.

For an example of what our normal fees for C&B are we charge $275 plus alloy for a high noble PFM, $375 for PFZ, etc.

The removable lab that my doc normally uses only charges $75 for setting the teeth (including the cost of teeth).
The teeth I'm using (Vita Phisiodens and Lingoforms) cost me about $80 per arch so obviously charging $75 isn't going to work.
I want my fees as high as possible without being ludicrous.

All that being said, what are most people charging for the following services (per arch)?

Stabilized baseplate and bite rim
Setting teeth (full arch)
Final festooning, Process and finish (hand pack, heat cure Lucitone 199)
Implant case with Locator attatchments, how much per attatchment
Processing over a bar

 

[timbangley]

We think a fair lab fee and charge around 500.00 per arch, but have a friend that gets 1,200.00 per arch. Nice fee for your pfms by the way...

 

[rkm rdt]

pfms 325 + alloy
pfzs 350
emax 325
cud or cld 700

 

[actittle]

For a high end denture, I would think it should be injected, not hand pack

I agree but I don't have an injection system and I don't intend to purchase one unless I have a regular flow of dentures coming in.

I just can't justify the expense right now.

 

[actittle]

Can you do a time study and insert what you feel you hourly wage should be?

That's a good idea

 

[JohnWilson]

Awesome fee you have for your singles! More power to ya!

 

[VictoryDental]

For a high end denture, I would think it should be injected, not hand pack

Injection or packing has absolutely nothing to do with a denture being High end or economy. The quality of the materials used and the craftsmanship determines the quality of a denture.

There are acrylics which require packing which are by far superior to most injected materials.

Injected cases reduce the labor in most cases and labs charge more for these cases because it is relatively new technology.

 

[cdtwade]

Injection or packing has absolutely nothing to do with a denture being High end or economy. The quality of the materials used and the craftsmanship determines the quality of a denture.

There are acrylics which require packing which are by far superior to most injected materials.

Injected cases reduce the labor in most cases and labs charge more for these cases because it is relatively new technology.

Exactly.

 

[gatorteeth87]

I disagree. Sure, there are some fantastic packable acrylics out there in terms of strength and aesthetics but I do not believe that you can acheive the fit of an injected denture with press-pack. Especially Ivocap continuous injection.

 

[MasterCeramist]

I think the averages are low also. I think those prices would be for middle to lower end work.

 

[VictoryDental]

I disagree. Sure, there are some fantastic packable acrylics out there in terms of strength and aesthetics but I do not believe that you can acheive the fit of an injected denture with press-pack. Especially Ivocap continuous injection.

If you can't duplicate the EXACT same thing by packing as you do by injecting then you are not packing correctly!

 

[JohnWilson]

This is always the fun debate about compression packing vs injecting. I will give you my take on things, I came late to the game with IVOCAP, I learned how to flask and trial pack 25 years ago by techs that had the skill to use inferior heat cure acyclic compared to what we use today. The average denture tech "Thinks" they understand how to trial pack if they jam some cellophane in between the flask and fill it a few times before final closure. Truth be told the modern resins really flash so thin that trial packing often is less technique demanding as it once was. The quality and density of the resins today in my opinion truly has improved. When I decided to go to injection it was strictly for Hybrid cases. Soon after I received this unit I started offering it as a PREMIUM service to my clients touting all of Ivoclars long history of success with this system. While I have had very favorable results with ZERO equilibration I will say I had little to none when I compression packed. What the system does do is provide a level of consistency from tech to tech that is not really easily obtainable with compression packing. Premixed measured materials also helps with uniformity of product. While I hope all of my techs follow the manufactures guidelines its on them to follow the companies rules. Each tech is trained to do the right thing, but when you have a system that takes some of the guesswork out you will improve accuracy by consistency.

Since investing and implementing the IVOCAP system in my lab, I have raised my processing fees 20% which has afforded me a very fast ROI on the equipment. Marketing has its benefits but trying to really differentiate between a tech that knows the proper way to mix the resin, pack when the material is at its optimum characteristics and understand the benefits of trial packing will make his product essentially the same quality as the more automated counterpart.

 

[araucaria]

nicely put John. acheiving quality and consistency, and profit too

 

[Flipperlady]

I disagree. Sure, there are some fantastic packable acrylics out there in terms of strength and aesthetics but I do not believe that you can acheive the fit of an injected denture with press-pack. Especially Ivocap continuous injection.

Ivocap is great but the tissue/bone in a denture wearer is constantly changing, the model being a snapshot of the mouth on a particular day. It doesn't matter whether you inject or press pack you are still going to get a fit to the model. To get the best possible fit is to take that same denture and then do a chairside reline at insert.

 

[Jo Chen]

actittle
What defines a premium denture in your eyes and why would a customer pay premium price for your denture? What differentiates you from the denture lab down the road besides utilizing premium teeth?

 

[ceram1]

For a high end denture, I would think it should be injected, not hand pack

What do you feel is deficient with properly executed press pack? Just curious.