dentist and tooth cap

I need to get a tooth capped and so I was wondering how much it would cost in Japan with no insurance. Anyone have a clue?

In the USA its about $900 and insurance would pay 1/2 so $450 out of pocket..

Any English speaking dentists near Tokyo, Sendai or Yamagata that anyone know of?

Somewhere between 100,000 and 200,000 yen, depending on what it is made out (more for gold or at a high end dentist). Plus registration, X-rays, initial consultation etc. (prob. around 10-20,000).

If you are just a temporary visitor (otherwise you'd be part of national insurance), probably best just to wait until you go home as not only difficult to find a good English-speaking dentist, standards of dentistry may not be as high as you are used to in your own country.

??? a GOLD cap... in JAPAN???
I have seen a LOT of people in Japan and I don't think I've EVER seen a gold tooth.. I *have* seen a LOT of obviously capped teeth however because they almost always seem have black lines at the cap-enamel juncture. Friends who *have* insurance tell me its only about 40$ to get it done using said insurance.. Sorry, but I am having a hard time buying that 1-2000 USD figure you are quoting. Dentistry may be different, however I have had many run-ins with Japanese medical treatment, uninsured, and have *always* paid dirt cheap prices for whatever was done (what can I say, I tend to hurt myself a lot.. :-P ).

When I lived in Japan I lost my partial plate. It was cheaper to fly back to Boston and get a new one than to buy a new one in Japan. Good Luck!

wow.. I guess dentistry must be the outlier... :-P

I recently got an ECG with a Cardiologist in Japan, appointment, ECG, 1/2 hour consultation with the actual DOCTOR... no insurance, $50

I went to the Emergency room for a sliced cornea.. Saw a specialist, bunches of tests... in and out.. $100 total cost no insurance...

:-P

But then.. The Japanese are not known for good teeth.. Maybe that's why.. lol..

If you want an english speaking dentist catering to the ex-pat community, it is going to cost more. That amount is for a dentist with some foreign training to a near US-standard.

If you have Japanese national insurance (as all residents are required to by law), then about 10-20,000 yen all in would be usual, depending on how many appointments they string it out to and how much they charge for registration, X-rays etc. But insurance work uses low grade prosthetics and old style instruments, it is this sort of work that you are seeing. Decent work costs, most Japanese take the cheap insurance option (though I have met a number of people with a gold tooth). You might have the low standard work done, for 3x the price without insurance, but probably not by an English-speaking dentist and don't expect it not to be noticeable.

Dentistry tends to be relatively inexpensive in Japan and comparative to other health care costs, though some procedures are a more inexpensive than others. My wife had her crown replaced last year over 3-4 appointments. I don't remember the exact price but I believe it was in the range of 20,000-30,000 yen with insurance. Since insurance covers 70% then a total low end cost of 100,000 yen sounds about right.