Last fact-checked: 10 February 2020
Fix broken, ugly or misshapen teeth with dental crowns – this flexible procedure can be used to remedy a number of problems, as well as strengthen teeth and improve the look of your smile.
The need for a dental crown may be indicated following other dental treatment:
● if you’ve had a dental implant, a crown is fitted as a replacement tooth
● after a root canal, a crown may be used to strengthen the tooth
● a crown may also be fitted to strengthen a tooth after a large filling
It may also be used if you have damaged teeth caused by accident, injury, decay or teeth-grinding. Some people also choose to have a crown for cosmetic reasons.
Dental crowns are a common procedure, but few of us realize just how expensive they are until we find out we actually need one. A CBS News piece commented that “all the economic choices a family makes in a year can be wiped out by a trip to the dentist," going on to explain why it is little wonder more and more people are looking for cheaper alternatives abroad in countries like Mexico and Thailand.
Indeed, whether you are thinking about visiting a dentist in Thailand or Mexico, it’s now easier than ever to combine it with your next holiday (and put those savings to good use!)
In fact, some dental tourists from the United States return again and again to their Mexico dentist, having their annual check-ups and any remedial work done simultaneously. Thanks to regular check-ups, it also means that any problems that do occur can be nipped in the bud with preventive treatments, like fillings, rather than allowing the problem to worsen which will eventually require more expensive remedial work.
Crowns are an excellent treatment to get as a dental tourist; the procedure doesn’t take too much time out of your holiday and there’s very little downtime. Plus, if you need more than one crown, you can save even more money in the long run.
The procedure for dental crowns typically requires two visits to the dentist (with the exception as explained further down). Between visits, the laboratory will manufacture the crown and perform any final adjustments.
In general, the procedure is as follows:
1: The first appointment takes around an hour, during which the dentist will:
A: Prepare the tooth to receive the crown by shaping it
B: Take impressions of the mouth
C: Place a temporary crown
2: At the second appointment, the new crown will be fixed permanently in place.
The entire process can sometimes be carried out in a day if your dental clinic has CAD/CAM (computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacture) equipment. The first chairside ceramic restoration took place in 1985; today, this is now very much a part of modern dentistry and available at many of our best clinics.
Dental crowns can be made from five materials:
1: Resin
2: Ceramic (porcelain)
3: Porcelain-fused-to-metal (PFM)
4: Gold alloy
5: Base metal alloy (eg Zirconium)
Each material has its own merits and drawbacks, but this is something your dentist will discuss with you.
Resin crowns are inexpensive, but they are softer than other materials and susceptible to fractures. Ceramic crowns are often used for restorations of the front teeth because they can be easily color-blended to match the surrounding natural teeth. If a stronger restoration is needed then a PFM crown is a more hard-wearing option. Gold alloy is also strong and doesn’t wear away surrounding teeth, which can be a problem with porcelain. Base metal alloys are very strong, kind to other teeth and resistant to wear.
All have different price points, which may be a factor that is important to you.
Prices vary enormously throughout the world, depending on what material is used. Here’s a comparison of prices for a standard, full porcelain/ceramic crown:
● In the United States, a ceramic crown costs, on average, $1,200; In Mexico, crowns cost $350 at the Clinica Ortodonci Estetica Estetica in Mexicali.
● In the United Kingdom, a ceramic crown costs, £970; In Thailand, crowns at the Bangkok Smile Malo Clinic cost £420.
● In Australia, a ceramic crown costs AUD $1,500; In Bali, crowns cost AUD $440 at the Bali 911 Dental Clinic in Kuta, Indonesia.
As dental training is now fairly standardized around the globe, we’ve found that the quality of care at the best clinics is generally very high. As in any other walk of life, it always pays to do some research, which is why Dental Departures has already covered this. There is no easy way to verify whether a clinic or dentist is trustworthy, but looking at a number of different factors can give you a more rounded picture.
Confirming dentist qualifications and professional affiliations is on our checklist. Although dentists in most countries do have thorough professional bodies of which they must be members, many have also trained abroad and are members of Western organizations like the American Denta Association. We undertake onsite visits and publish real patient reviews on our website, as well as memberships to international health and safety organizations, like the ISO.
Of course, no dental procedure can ever be guaranteed completely–we are all individuals and react differently. There is also the risk of human error. However, you can mitigate any problems by making sure that the dentist and clinic you book have the right credentials.
All our dentists offer guarantees on their work and will fix any problems free-of-charge. You may also find it worth taking out additional insurance for complications; this will take care of additional travel and hotel expenses if you have to stay longer than anticipated or if you have to travel back if there is a problem.
Dental tourism is certainly worth the effort if you choose wisely. You will discover reliable dental tourism centers around the world, including Bali, Vietnam, Malaysia, Costa Rica and Colombia, all of which are hugely popular holiday destinations in their own right, as well as for dental tourists.
First things first: we recommend you take a look at the Dental Departures’ website and search for the procedure and location that suits your condition and budget. From there, you can compare prices, see clinic photos and read real patient reviews. The next step is to talk it over with our Customer Care Team, who are more than happy to answer any questions you may have. Or if you're ready to schedule your appointment you can book right here online any time of the day or night, at no charge to you.
Sources:
Butler, Sarah. Is Your Dentist Ripping You Off? CBS News. 15 April 2011. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/is-your-dentist-ripping-you-off/" target="_blank
Fasbinder, Dennis J. 25 Years of Chairside CAD/CAM Dentistry. Journal of the American Dental Association. 1 June 2010. https://jada.ada.org/article/S0002-8177(14)63733-8/abstract" target="_blank
Your Dental Crowns Procedure: What to Expect. Colgate. 17 November 2018. https://www.colgate.com/en-us/oral-health/cosmetic-dentistry/bridges-and-crowns/your-dental-crown-procedure-what-to-expect-0113" target="_blank
Monin Dombrowski, Margie. Tooth Cracked In Half: Can It Be Fixed?Colgate. Website accessed: 7 March 2019. https://www.colgate.com/en-us/oral-health/conditions/dental-emergencies-and-sports-safety/tooth-cracked-in-half-can-it-be-fixed-0515" target="_blank
Dodge, Lora. Types of Dental Fillings. Very Well Health. 25 May 2018. https://www.verywellhealth.com/different-types-of-fillings-1059018" target="_blank
Improve Your Smile: Cosmetic Dentistry 101. WebMD. Website accessed: 7 March 2019.
https://www.webmd.com/oral-health/cosmetic-dentistry" target="_blank
Do you need dental crowns? Find out with our guide. Medium. 7 October 2016. https://medium.com/forever-young/do-you-need-dental-crowns-find-out-with-our-guide-6becf759c756" target="_blank
ID | Translation |
---|---|
@@home | Home |
@@aboutUs | About Us |
@@rewards | Rewards |
@@articles | Articles |
@@addYourClinic | Add your clinic |
@@locations | Locations |
@@treatments | Treatments |
@@affiliate | Become an affiliate |
@@customerService | Customer service |
@@faqs | FAQs |
@@popularCountries | Popular Countries |
@@popularCities | Popular Cities |
@@topClinic | Top Clinics |
@@mediaRoom | Media Room |
@@sitemaps | Sitemap |
@@newsletterSubscribeErrors | |
@@seeMore | See More |
@@contact | Contact |
@@more | More |
@@gpc | Global Patients' choice |
@@treatmentFinance | Treatment Finance |
@@treatmentInsurance | Treatment Insurance |
@@promotions | Promotions |
@@destinationsArticles | Destinations |
@@proceduresArticles | Procedures |
@@resourcesArticles | Resources |
@@clinicsArticles | Clinics |
@@freeQuote | Free Quote |
@@reviewBreadcrumbs | Review |
@@freeExam | Free Exam |
@@freeWifi | Free Wifi |
@@freeWater | Free Water |
@@freeCoffee | Free Coffee |
@@freeParking | Free Parking |
@@freeHotelTransportation | Free Ground Transportation to Hotel |
@@freeAirportTransportation | Free Ground Transportation to Airport |
@@freePhoneCalls | Free Phone Call |
@@freeXrays | Free X-rays |
@@freeWheelChair | Wheelchair Accessible |
@@searchBreadcrumbs | Search |
@@alertImageTypeError | Only images are allowed |
@@reviewVeryBad | Very Bad |
@@reviewBad | Bad |
@@reviewOk | Ok |
@@reviewGood | Good |
@@reviewVeryGood | Very Good |
@@clinicMetaDescription | **clinic** provides a wide range of medical treatments including **procedures** and more. Save up to 70% off on your treatments. |
@@bookMetaTitle | Book your appointment with **clinic** |
@@faqMetaTitle | Frequently Asked Questions |
@@faqBreadcrumbs | FAQs |
@@aboutMetaTitle | About Dental Departures |
@@aboutBreadcrumbs | About us |
@@affiliateIndexMetaTitle | Join the Dental Departures Affiliates Program |
@@affiliateIndexMetaDescription | Join Dental Departures' affiliate program and get paid to refer patients to our network of global doctors in more than 12 countries. We pay top dollar! |
@@affiliateSignupMetaTitle | Affiliate Sign Up Form |
@@affiliateSignupMetaDescription | Join Dental Departures |
@@affiliateBreadcrumbs | Affiliate |
@@affiliateTermsMetaTitle | Terms & Conditions |
@@affiliateTermsMetaDescription | Terms and Conditions for affiliate partners of Dental Departures - the #1 site for finding and booking dental care with our global network covering more than 12 countries. |
@@affiliateTermsBreadcrumbs1 | Join |
@@affiliateTermsBreadcrumbs2 | Affiliate Terms & Conditions |
@@bookBreadcrumbs | Schedule your appointment |
@@articleBreadcrumbs | Articles |
@@articleDestinationsMetaTitle | Dental Destinations |
@@articleDestinationsMetaDescription | Learn more about popular dental destinations around the globe. Discover how to find a doctor in: Mexico, Costa Rica, Thailand, Philippines, Hungary, Czech Republic, Spain, Turkey and many more. |
@@articleResourcesMetaTitle | Dental Travel Resources |
@@articleResourcesMetaDescription | Learn more about dental tourism and uncover tips on visiting a doctor overseas. |
@@articleProceduresMetaTitle | Dental Procedures |
@@articleProceduresMetaDescription | Learn more about dental procedures overseas and discover the dental options you have available. |
@@articleClinicsMetaTitle | Dental Clinics: Spotlight |
@@articleClinicsMetaDescription | Finding the right Clinic for you. |
@@articlesMetaTitle | Dental Articles |
@@articlesMetaDescription | Learn more about dental tourism, popular dental destinations and dental procedures. |
@@clinicContactBreadcrumbs | Get your free quote |
@@clinicContactFormError | An error occurred while submitting the form. Please try again. |
@@clinicQuoteBreadcrumbs | Free quote |
@@contactMetaTitle | Send an email to Dental Departures |
@@contactBreadcrumbs | Send us an email |
@@financeMetaTitle | Dental Financing |
@@financeMetaDescription | Dental financing helps you get the dental care you need today at competitive interest rates. |
@@financeBreadcrumbs | Dental Finance |
@@financeCaMetaTitle | Dental Financing |
@@financeCaMetaDescription | Dental financing helps you get the dental care you need today at competitive interest rates. |
@@financeCaBreadcrumbs | Canada |
@@financeUsMetaTitle | Dental Financing |
@@financeUsMetaDescription | Dental financing helps you get the dental care you need today at competitive interest rates. |
@@financeUsBreadcrumbs | United States |
@@freequoteMetaTitle | Get A Free Quote On Your Dental Treatment |
@@freequoteMetaDescription | Get a free quote with Dental Departures and see how much you can save with a Doctor abroad. We\'ll get back to you as soon as we can for assistance. |
@@freequoteFormError | form error |
@@gpcYearMetaTitle | Best Clinics for **year** - Global Patients' Choice Awards |
@@gpcYearLocationMetaTitle | Best Clinics in **location** **year** - Global Patients' Choice Awards |
@@gpcYearLocationMetaDescriptionDD | The best dental clinics and dentists in **location** of **year**. The Global Patients' Choice Awards recognizes the best reviewed clinics by our patients.Check out our award winning clinics now! |
@@gpcBreadcrumbs | Global Patients' Choice |
@@gpcIndexMetaDescription | The best dental clinics and doctors of 2018. The Global Patients' Choice Awards recognizes the best reviewed clinics by our patients.Check out our award winning clinics now! |
@@homeTestimonialCustomer1Name | Jeffery |
@@homeTestimonialCustomer1Location | Victoria, Canada |
@@homeTestimonialCustomer1Testimony | I've traveled twice to Bangkok for dental work through Dental Departures. After returning from my first trip, my local dentist said he had rarely seen such well done crowns (including his own). |
@@homeTestimonialCustomer2Name | Margy & Kevin |
@@homeTestimonialCustomer2Location | Brisbane, Australia |
@@homeTestimonialCustomer2Testimony | We had a very successful trip to Thailand and are extremely happy with the work done and grateful for Dental Departures who gave us the confidence to proceed with the trip. Very highly recommended. |
@@homeTestimonialCustomer3Name | Sam |
@@homeTestimonialCustomer3Location | Phoenix, United States |
@@homeTestimonialCustomer3Testimony | I have a beautiful smile once again thanks to my referral from Dental Departures! |
@@homeMetaTitle | Dental Tourism Experts |
@@homeMetaTitleMD | Medical Tourism Experts |
@@homeMetaDescription | Save 70% here on dental tourism. Compare treatment prices with over 1339 global dental clinics with 7791 reviews and 14905 photos. Get your Free Quote and Book Now. |
@@homeMetaDescriptionMD | Save 70% here on medical tourism. Compare treatment prices with over 1339 global medical clinics with 7791 reviews and 14905 photos. Get your Free Quote and Book Now. |
@@infoBestPriceMetaTitle | Best Price Guarantee |
@@infoBestPriceBreadcrumbs | Best price guarantee |
@@infoConnectMetaTitle | Connect with Dental Departures |
@@infoConnectBreadcrumbs | Connect with us |
@@infoPrivacyMetaTitle | Privacy Policy |
@@insuranceMetaTitle | Dental Insurance |
@@insuranceDescription | Dental Departures makes it even easier to book an appointment at a global clinic with our exclusive dental insurance packages. |
@@insuranceBreadcrumbs | Dental Insurance |
@@insuranceAuMetaTitle | Australia Dental Insurance |
@@insuranceAuDescription | Book your next visit to a dentist in Australia with the safety & security with dental insurance coverage. Get your Free dental insurance quote now. |
@@insuranceAuBreadcrumbs | Australia |
@@insuranceMxMetaTitle | Mexico Dental Insurance |
@@insuranceMxDescription | Book your next visit to a dentist in Mexico with the safety & security with dental insurance coverage. Get your Free dental insurance quote now. |
@@insuranceMxBreadcrumbs | Mexico |
@@insuranceGbMetaTitle | United Kingdom Dental Insurance |
@@insuranceMxDescription | Book your next visit to a dentist in United Kingdom with the safety & security with dental insurance coverage. Get your Free dental insurance quote now. |
@@insuranceGbBreadcrumbs | United Kingdom |
@@insuranceThMetaTitle | Thailand Dental Insurance |
@@insuranceThDescription | Book your next visit to a dentist in Thailand with the safety & security with dental insurance coverage. Get your Free dental insurance quote now. |
@@insuranceThBreadcrumbs | Thailand |
@@insuranceUsMetaTitle | United States Dental Insurance |
@@insuranceUsDescription | Book your next visit to a dentist in United States with the safety & security with dental insurance coverage. Get your Free dental insurance quote now. |
@@insuranceUsBreadcrumbs | United States |
@@newsletterSubscribeMetaTitle | |
@@newsletterSubscribeBreadcrumbs | |
@@newsletterUnsubscribeErrors | |
@@newsletterUnsubscribeMetaTitle | |
@@newsletterUnsubscribeBreadcrumbs | |
@@partnerSignupMetaTitle | Sign Up |
@@partnerSignupDescription | Find out how DentalDepartures.com can bring more western patients to your dental clinic. |
@@premiumContentMetaDescriptionLoc | |
@@premiumContentMetaDescription | |
@@pressMetaTitle | Press Releases |
@@pressBreadcrumbs | Press |
@@promotionsMetaTitle | Dental Treatment Promotions & Discounts Worldwide |
@@promotionsMetaDescription | Get the best dental treatment promotions and discounts from clinics all around the world. Save up to 70% off your dental treatments and get the best price guaranteed. |
@@promotionsMetaLocationTitleDD | Current promotions in |
@@promotionsMetaLocationDescriptionDD | Check out the current promotions we're offering in **location** to help you save even more on your dental care! |
@@anytime | Anytime |
@@morning | Morning |
@@afternoon | Afternoon |
@@evening | Evening |
@@promotionsBreadcrumbs | Promotions |
@@seoLocationsMetaTitle | Complete listing of Clinics |
@@seoLocationsDescription | A listing of every clinic location. |
@@seoLocationsBreadcrumbs | All locations |
@@seoSitemapMetaTitle | Sitemap |
@@seoPopCitiesMetaTitle | Most popular regions |
@@seoPopCountriesMetaTitle | Most popular countries |
@@seoTopClinicsMetaTitle | Top Clinics with Dental Departures |
@@seoTopClinicsBreadcrumbs | Top Clinics |
@@seoTreatmentsMetaTitle | Dental Procedures |
@@seoTreatmentsBreadcrumbs | All treatments |
@@currentPromotionsTitle | Current promotions in |
@@promotionsMetaPromotionsDescriptionMD | Check out the current promotions we're offering in **location** to help you save even more on your medical care! |
@@alertUploadError | Something is wrong. Cannot upload your photo |
@@alertSubscriptionError | Form Subscription Error |
@@clinicContactFormError | An error occurred while submitting the form. Please try again. |
@@moreCountries | More countries |
@@pageNotFoundMetaTitle | 404 - Page not found |
@@breadcrumbPageNotFound | |
@@alertCancelAppointment | Are you sure you would like to cancel your appointment? |
@@clinicContactFormError | An error occurred while submitting the form. Please try again. |
@@insuranceCountryMetaDescription | Book your next visit to a doctor in **country** with the safety & security with medical insurance coverage. Get your Free medical insurance quote now. |
@@insuranceMdMetaTitle | Medical Insurance |
@@insuranceCountryMetaTitle | **country** Medical Insurance |
@@insuranceGenericMetaDescription | Medical Departures makes it even easier to book an appointment at a global clinic with our exclusive medical insurance packages. |
@@gpcYearLocationMetaDescriptionMD | The best medical clinics and doctors in **location** of **year**. The Global Patients' Choice Awards recognizes the best reviewed clinics by our patients.Check out our award winning clinics now! |
@@articlesMD | Medical Articles |
@@homeGenericMetaTitle | Medical Tourism Experts - Best Price Guaranteed |
@@homeGenericMetaDescription | Save 70% here on medical tourism. Compare treatment prices with over 1339 global medical clinics with 7791 reviews and 14905 photos. Get your Free Quote and Book Now. |