Dental Crowns - What, How, & Where.!!!

As time goes by, our teeth begin to weaken and so get more vulnerable to different forms of damage including tooth decay, discoloration, and cracks. Such problems could really take away our beautiful smile and affect the overall quality of our lives.

With the continual advances in medical dentistry however, the dream of retrieving the original smile has become a reality today through many possible approaches. One of them is “dental crowns” that are getting more and more popular for the magnificent results they produce. 

What are Dental Crowns?

Dental Crowns as a Cosmetic Solution

Difference between Crowns and Veneers

Materials of Crowns

• Porcelain Fused to Metal (PFM)
• Ceramic
• Gold
• Metal alloys Crowns

How is it performed?

How to care for the Temporary Dental Crown?

Does the Crown Installation hurt?

Treatment Duration

Is there any Special Care required for a Crowned Tooth?

Where to Go for Dental Crowns Abroad

What are Dental Crowns? 

Dental crowns are a medical treatment applied to save a damaged or broken tooth by encircling it 360 degrees as a “cap” does. They could also be used for smile makeover with abnormally shaped or worn teeth.

The power of crowns exceeds that of veneers in which they could be used to fully amend the shape of teeth. Their life is always longer than that of other treatments like Lumineers.  

Dental Crowns as a Cosmetic Solution

In addition to their dental objectives, crowns could be used for cosmetic purposes such correcting the appearance of imperfect or ill-shaped teeth. Patients say that the results could be seen throughout the entire facial region, bringing back the youthful and natural look. 

Difference between Crowns and Veneers

For some patients considering a dental restoration, it is important to understand the difference between dental crowns and dental veneers. If you happen to be suffering damage to your teeth, both treatments are an absolute way to restore your dental health and appearance. 

Although they both could fall into the same category technically, crowns and veneers are different in the thickness of material used to cover the tooth, size of removed portion from original teeth and tooth’s space to be covered. 

For veneers, they are made up of thin porcelain fixed to the front of the receiving tooth with the material’s color matching the color of original teeth. One drawback of veneers is their strong yet brittle nature-- in which continual effects usually crack or knock them out. 

On the contrary, dental crowns are more powerful and resistant to cracking since they are double the thickness of veneers and fully enfold the tooth. Crowns are made of porcelain or metal or both.

In general, dental crowns are the best option with cases suffering fundamental issues with original teeth. They are used to protect the teeth from further damage as they become their new coverage.

Materials of Crowns

Clinics offer crowns with a range of materials including: -

Porcelain Fused to Metal (PFM)- provides stronger bonds than other types, matching color of natural teeth and is extremely durable. Since the metal could be visible, they are usually preferable for use with the side and back teeth not front ones. If going with PFM, It is recommended to replace them after 6 years to maintain your dental health.

Ceramic- Consisting of porcelain material, this type of crowns can blend in color with natural teeth. Therefore, it is usually preferable with front teeth. 

Gold- some clinics provide gold crowns, which consist of gold and some other materials including copper. They are extremely durable and aesthetic, yet higher in cost than other types.

Metal alloys Crowns- are considered the most durable of all types. This type consists of non-noble metals that are extremely resistant to corrosion. Even if you try to hit a metal-alloys crown with a hammer, it will not break. Only drawback of this type is the color and so people sometimes tend to go with other types for better esthetic appeal.

How is it performed? 

The procedure starts with the dentist and his medical team applying local anesthesia to the area of receiving tooth and adjacent tissue. Then they will create enough space for the crowns by removing the surface of the natural tooth from top and all sides using a dental drill and bur designed specifically for dental practices.

The dentist will then make a dental impression of the natural tooth by taking a mould of the mouth. The extracted mould is then sent to the laboratory to make and customize the crown. Getting your crown created at the laboratory may take a few days. Meanwhile, your dentist may place a temporary crown at your next visit until replacing it with the real crown prepared at the laboratory.

Note: With some cases, the level of damage could be high in which there is not enough of the tooth left. With such cases, the dentist usually has to create a foundation for the crown first by adding a buildup (implant). 

How to care for the Temporary Dental Crown?

The temporary dental crown is an interim solution for the permanent one. It is used to help you carry on your normal life whilst your final and permanent crown is being created at the laboratory. Experts recommend taking care of the temporary crown by avoiding sticky foods, caramel and gums. You should also avoid hard foods such as vegetables. Hard & sticky foods could harm your temporary crown and cause it to break or fall down. It is also preferable during this time to use the other side of the mouth while chewing food to avoid any possible harms.

Does the Crown Installation hurt?

The process of installing a crown is carried with the help of local anesthesia and high-speed instruments. It is highly comforting, and the patient does not endure any pain.

Treatment Duration

Process on your first visit involves tooth preparation, taking an impression and placing a temporary crown. Usually takes one hour of time.

On the second visit, the actual crown will be fitted into place. Tooth will be cleaned and cement placed & left to dry. Similarly, this step takes up to one hour.

The estimated time required to deliver an overall successful dental crown depends on the time needed to create the crown/crowns. If the clinic has its own laboratory, the time is usually shorter. For example, 1 week is the ideal time frame for a dental crown treatment abroad. 

Is there any Special Care required for a Crowned Tooth?

Once the crown is installed successfully, it becomes a member of the entire group. In this regard, there is no special care necessary for a crowned tooth other than the normal course of recommended treatment for teeth in general. This includes keeping up a proper hygiene to the oral area and brushing the teeth twice a day at minimum. 

Where to Go for Dental Crowns Abroad 

Just like many other types of treatments, traveling abroad for dental crowns could be the right decision to make. The idea here is that if you consider dental crowns abroad, you will be able to get many alternatives (clinics) to choose from which means a higher dental quality. 

It is also preferable in terms of financial savings. As clinics abroad are competing against each other to deliver affordable services, patients tend to save a big deal of money while still receiving world-class dental treatments. Add to that, the fact that some countries today provide full medical packages of which patients can choose from. These packages usually include all other non-medical services such as accommodation and interpretation.

One important thing to consider in this term is that it is related to commercial-based clinics. Unfortunately, some clinics abroad seem to provide unreasonably low prices just to attract patients with no regard to medical quality. That is why you should make your own research for the right clinic – the one you can entrust regarding high quality care and low price.

Top countries today at dental crowns include Turkey, USA, Mexico, and the United Kingdom.