Every remake costs a second appointment, a second anesthetic, lab time and some of the patient's confidence in you. Most dentists accept a few remakes as part of the job. The data say remakes are neither random nor evenly spread: they cluster around the same few problems and around specific practice habits, and that makes them preventable.
Key Takeaways
- In a US study of 3,750 single crowns, 3.8% were remade. 58% of dentists rejected no crowns at all, while individual dentists ranged up to 42%.
- In an audit of 40,344 restorations from seven labs, the top remake reasons were margin fit (29.5% of remakes), crowns not fully seating at the mesial or distal (23.2%) and general fit (22.7%). Open or tight contacts accounted for 9.5%.
- Shade mismatch was more common with lithium disilicate; proximal-fit problems were more common with monolithic zirconia.
- Crowns made from digital scans were clinically acceptable 99.5% of the time, against 94.0% to 95.8% for impression trays.
- Labs say more than 80% of external remakes come from the clinical side, mostly impressions and shade. A checklist Rx measurably reduces adjustments.
Quick Answer
Most crown remakes come from fit problems: open or inaccurate margins, crowns that do not fully seat at the mesial or distal, and general misfit. Shade and esthetics come next. They are prevented mostly before the case leaves the office: a clear margin in the scan or impression, a bite recorded on both sides, complete shade information and a specific Rx, followed by a lab that checks the scan before it designs.
Remake rate for single-unit crowns across 205 US dentists and 3,750 crowns in the National Dental Practice-Based Research Network. About 1 in 26 crowns (McCracken et al., 2019).
How Common Are Remakes?
The best US data come from the National Dental Practice-Based Research Network. Across 3,750 single crowns from 205 dentists, the remake rate was 3.8%. The spread matters more than the average: 58% of the dentists rejected no crowns at all, all rejections came from the other 42%, and individual rates ranged from 0% to 42%. Fewer years in practice was associated with lower crown success.
A 2026 multicenter audit from seven dental labs in Riyadh counted 2,612 remakes among 40,344 fixed restorations, about 6.5%. By restoration type: veneers 7.5%, onlays 7.1%, crowns 6.9%, bridges 4.8% and endocrowns 4.0%. Settings and definitions differ, so the two numbers are not directly comparable, but both point to the same causes.
The Top Causes and How to Prevent Them
| Cause | Share of remakes | What usually drives it | What prevents it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Margin fit | 29.5% | Margin not captured: blood, saliva, tissue over the finish line, a drag or void in the impression | Retraction, a dry field, margin checked on screen before sending |
| Proximal fit (does not fully seat at the mesial or distal) | 23.2% | Inadequate preparation or scanning; a tight contact can also hold a crown up | Complete scan of the prep and adjacent teeth; relieve tight contacts before judging fit |
| General fit (does not seat) | 22.7% | Undercuts, distorted impressions, insufficient reduction | Smooth prep without undercuts; reduction matched to the material |
| Shade mismatch | 16.3% | Written shade only, no stump shade for translucent ceramics | Shade photo with tab; stump shade for e.max |
| Proximal contact (open or too tight) | 9.5% | Adjacent teeth incomplete in the scan, unclear contact preference | Scan full adjacent teeth; state contact tightness on the Rx |
Who Is Responsible?
Labs and dentists tend to see remakes differently. In LMT's 2024 remake survey of lab owners and managers, respondents said more than 80% of external remakes are due to dentist error, a figure unchanged since their 2011 and 2018 surveys, with inadequate impressions and incorrect shades as the most common causes. The US practice study shows the other side: most dentists had no remakes at all, so remakes are not an unavoidable part of crown and bridge.
The practical answer sits between the two. Most remakes start with information that never reached the lab or was not clear enough to use, and the fix is shared: complete records from the practice, and a lab that checks them and asks before it guesses.
Does Digital Help?
Yes, measurably. In the US National Dental Practice-Based Research Network, 99.5% of crowns made from digital scans were clinically acceptable, compared with 94.0% to 95.8% for crowns from impression trays. The same study found that when a prepared tooth had no neighbor on one side, dual-arch trays were more likely to compromise the occlusal fit. Scanning also lets you check the margin before the patient leaves, which targets the single largest cause of remakes.
A Remake Prevention Checklist
- Margins: retract, dry and capture the margin first; rotate the prep on screen and confirm you can see it all the way around.
- Contacts: include complete adjacent teeth on both sides; write the contact tightness you want.
- Bite: record it on both sides, even for a single crown.
- Reduction: match reduction to the material (see Zirconia vs. E.max); tell the lab if clearance is tight.
- Shade: send a photo with the shade tab in the frame, plus the stump shade for e.max.
- Rx: material, shade, margin, contacts and occlusion stated explicitly, not "as usual".
How Elegant Dental Laboratory Handles Remakes
- Before production: we review digital impressions before design and flag issues early, by phone, so most problems never become remakes.
- Warranty: if a restoration needs an eligible adjustment or remake within the warranty period, we remake or adjust it at no additional lab charge, as long as the original is returned. Final restorations are covered for up to 7 years. Read the policy.
- Direct contact: call 877-335-5221 and talk to someone who knows the case. Send a case to see the difference.
Related Guides
- Shade Matching for the Lab: How to Take Shade Photos and Send a Stump Shade
- Crown Prep Guide: Reduction, Margins and Taper for Zirconia, E.max and PFM
- How to Choose a Dental Lab: 7 Questions to Ask Before You Send a Case
FAQ
What is a normal crown remake rate?
In a US study of 3,750 crowns, the average was 3.8%, but most dentists had none and individual rates ranged up to 42%. A multicenter lab audit found about 6.5% across all fixed restorations.
What is the most common reason for a crown remake?
Fit problems. In a 40,344-restoration audit, the top reasons were margin fit (29.5% of remakes), incomplete seating at the mesial or distal (23.2%) and general fit (22.7%).
Do digital impressions reduce remakes?
In a US study, 99.5% of crowns from digital scans were clinically acceptable, compared with 94.0% to 95.8% from impression trays.
Why do e.max crowns get remade for shade?
Lithium disilicate is translucent, so the stump color shows through. Sending the stump shade and a shade photo prevents most of these remakes.
Who pays for a crown remake?
It depends on the lab's policy. Many labs, including ours, remake eligible restorations within the warranty period at no additional lab charge when the original is returned.
Sources (5)
- McCracken MS, et al. Remake Rates for Single-Unit Crowns in Clinical Practice: Findings from The National Dental Practice-Based Research Network. J Prosthodont. 2019;28(2):122-130. doi:10.1111/jopr.12995
- Alkadi L, et al. Prevalence and associated factors of laboratory remakes in fixed prosthodontics: a multicenter audit in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Saudi Dent J. 2026;38(2):16. doi:10.1007/s44445-025-00110-2
- LMT. Survey Report: Productivity Disrupter, Remakes. February 15, 2024. lmtmag.com
- Bresciano ME, et al. Efficacy of a Checklist for Office-Laboratory Communication: A Clinical Study on Quality Outcomes for Single Crowns. Int J Prosthodont. 2017;30(2):160-162. doi:10.11607/ijp.5083
- Lawson NC, et al. Clinical acceptance of single-unit crowns and its association with impression and tissue displacement techniques: Findings from the National Dental Practice-Based Research Network. J Prosthet Dent. 2020;123(5):701-709. doi:10.1016/j.prosdent.2019.05.016
Reviewed by Gary Fingerman, founder and CEO of Elegant Dental Laboratory, Brooklyn, New York (founded 2007). Last reviewed: September 27, 2026.
