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The information on this website is intended for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical, legal, or financial advice. Always consult a health provider, legal counsel, or financial professional if you have questions or concerns. The use of the information on this website does not create a physician-patient relationship between Surgency and you.
Surgency is a free resource for Canadian patients and caregivers. Private pathways Canadian physician in the public system to help you find the right surgeon for your needs.
As a family doctor in the public system, I believe transparency is a form of care. I created Surgency to help my patients struggling on long waitlists who wanted to understand all their options for timely medical attention.
Surgency is a free resource designed to empower and educate—helping you understand private pathways and find accredited surgeons within Canada. I hope Surgency brings you clarity.
Dr. Sean Haffey
Shoulder replacement surgery (shoulder arthroplasty) is a procedure where damaged parts of the shoulder joint are resurfaced and replaced with artificial components to restore smooth movement.
Your shoulder is a ball-and-socket: the ball is the top of the upper arm bone (humeral head) and the socket is part of the shoulder blade (glenoid). When arthritis, severe fractures, or significant rotator cuff problems ruin the cartilage—the slick layer that lets bones glide—the joint becomes painful and stiff.In surgery, the surgeon removes the worn surfaces and shapes the bones.
A metal ball attached to a stem fits into the upper arm bone, and a plastic liner is placed on the socket.
In a standard “anatomic” replacement, the ball stays on the arm side and the socket stays on the shoulder blade side.
In a “reverse” replacement, the positions are swapped (ball on the shoulder blade, socket on the arm) to improve leverage when the rotator cuff doesn’t work.
The goal is to recreate stable, smooth joint mechanics so the arm can lift and rotate more comfortably for daily activities.
Surgery takes about 1.5–3 hours (depends on your anatomy and whether it’s anatomic or reverse). Expect most of the day for check-in, anesthesia, and recovery before heading home or to a ward.
Basic steps:
Your exact plan will come from your surgeon and can vary. Take rehab seriously—the more consistent you are, the better.
What to expect after shoulder replacement
Week 1
Weeks 2–4
Weeks 5–12
Weeks 13–52
Red flags anytime
Shoulder replacement is a major surgery. Private clinics in Canada typically charge $20,000 to $28,000.
In the United States, the average cost is between CA$19,200 to $71,100.
Costs vary so much because of location, surgeon experience, facility type, scope of potential treatments, complexity of the issue, and included services (some clinics offer all-inclusive, while others charge separately for anesthesia, followup care, etc.).
Choosing your surgeon is one of the benefits of going the private route. Here’s what to consider and the key questions to bring to your shoulder replacement consultation.
Shoulder replacement is a major surgery where damaged parts of your shoulder joint are replaced with metal and plastic pieces to reduce pain and improve movement.
Yes and no—you can reach out to any of the private surgeons listed on Surgency without a referral. Their intake teams are happy to answer questions, explain what they treat, share pricing ranges, and walk you through next steps.
However, to book a formal consultation with the surgeon, you'll typically need a referral from your family doctor or nurse practitioner. Don't have one? Many of the clinics can help coordinate a virtual GP appointment to get the referral paperwork sorted. All surgeons listed on Surgency offer virtual initial consultations, so you don't need to travel until you and the surgeon have agreed on a plan.
Before your consultation, expect the clinic to request relevant medical records and recent diagnostic imaging (X-ray, MRI, CT, ultrasound, lab work, etc.). Having these ready speeds up the process and lets the surgeon give you specific guidance on your very first call.
These are general considerations, your surgeon will tailor instructions based on your scans, rotator cuff status, and implant choice.
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Surgeons—who meet our listing criteria—pay a flat fee to list on the Surgency platform. To maintain objectivity, there are no commissions, referral fees, nor any ranking or recommending one surgeon over another.
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Your situation depends on your pain level, shoulder motion and strength, what imaging shows (cartilage loss, bone spurs, cysts, deformity; rotator cuff status), your overall health, and how well non-surgical care works (physio, injections, meds, activity changes). Discuss specifics with your surgeon.
Your individual risk depends on your health, shoulder anatomy and bone quality, whether you’re having anatomic or reverse shoulder replacement, the exact surgical approach and implant choices, and how closely you follow sling rules and rehab. Discuss your specific risks with your surgeon.
If you still have questions, then feel free to contact us directly.
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Experienced orthopedic surgeon known for a patient-centred approach and technical versatility, ranging from soft tissue repair (sports medicine) to total joint replacements (knee, shoulder, hip).
Triple-fellowship orthopedic surgeon specializing in elbow and shoulder procedures who treats professional athletes and active individuals looking to return to sport safely and quickly.
