Savings: £360 - £550 for each crown | Time required: One or two short visits to Krakow, Poland.
A crown is an artificial restoration that fits over the remaining part of a prepared tooth, making it strong and giving it the shape of a natural tooth. It is an ideal restoration for teeth that have been broken or weakened by decay or a very large filling.
Crowns can be made of porcelain, gold and other metals, acrylic resin, or an amalgam (a mixture) of these materials and will last for many years, depending on the health of the tooth underneath. A temporary crown made of plastic or metal is put over the tooth until the permanent crown is prepared.
Before and after crowns pictures made by our dentists
Below are some example pictures of porcelain crowns. These are genuine pictures of our patients and their smile makeovers. All these procedures were done in our clinics in Poland.
Click on any picture below to view before and after result
When your front teeth or your chewing teeth are damaged, getting dental crowns abroad is often the only way to get your natural looking, healthy smile back at an affordable price. The cost of UK crowns/caps is astronomical. Add to that the preparation time, the number of appointments it’ll take, and the years of repaying the finance needed for private cosmetic dentistry work to be completed here… it is resulting in thousands of people from the UK travelling overseas for any number of cosmetic dentistry work to be done that’s unavailable on the NHS, every year!
Should any visible teeth be chipped or damaged, be it by a bike accident, sports injury or caused by tooth decay, a crown can be effective for better aesthetics, but it also gives your teeth some added strength making it ideal for any weakened teeth as well. Are you troubled by bruxism – teeth grinding and excessive jaw clenching? Eventually, the wear will show and cause your teeth to weaken.
In these cases, and many others, dental crowns are extremely effective and depending on the material used, can last for years.
Advice for getting dental crowns abroad
Dental tourism, which is also referred to as dental vacations, dental breaks, and dental holidays is just a small part of the larger medical tourism industry. Keeping in mind, it is a type of medical tourism; it’s imperative to know that any cosmetic dentist you’re planning to see knows what they’re doing, works in a sterile environment, has a high patient satisfaction rate and will offer some type of guarantee should you need any remedial work to be completed.
After all, having to fly to your dentist isn’t ideal for everyone. Unfortunately, it’s a sign of our times that it’s become a necessity for so many Brits to get dental crowns abroad and many other types of cosmetic procedures that are overpriced in UK dental surgeries.
Arranging the consultation
With any type of dental treatment abroad, you never want same day treatment forced upon you. Especially when you’re considering getting dental crowns done abroad because the procedure is completed using a local anaesthetic. You need to know that your dentist is competent and has an equally qualified and certified clinical team on hand to assist with treatment.
No obligation consultations with a cosmetic dentist abroad are advisable because it gives you a chance to meet with the dentist who’ll do the work and will enable you to inspect the facilities while you’re there. Without the obligation to proceed, you’re able to get all the information you need to make an informed choice and get your questions answered before agreeing to any treatment plan.
After all, having to fly to your dentist isn’t ideal for everyone. Unfortunately, it’s a sign of our times that it’s become a necessity for so many Brits to get dental crowns abroad and many other types of cosmetic procedures that are overpriced in UK dental surgeries.
Treatment plans and the procedure for dental crowns abroad
Before treatment starts, the dentist needs to assess the strength and condition of the tooth to make sure it fits correctly. For broken and chipped teeth, or if you’ve recently had root canal treatment, the tooth may need to be prepared by building it up first using filling material because the tooth needs the strength for the dental cap to hold onto.
Once the tooth’s prepared, it’s then filed down/shaped to make room for a dental cap to be fitted over the tooth, essentially capping it. Once the tooth is prepared, an impression needs to be taken. Our dentists in Krakow can take full mouth impressions with either a digital scanner or using a putty-like substance that’s put into your mouth, for which you bite into to leave an impression of your teeth. Some clinics only have the bite-down method, and that isn’t exactly the most pleasant experience. Modern dental practices use 3D image scanning for a full x-ray of the mouth.
The impression or scan is then used along with the dentist’s best judgement on shading to match your natural teeth. The impression is then sent off to a lab to have your crown made to match the shade and shape of your teeth.
It can take a few weeks for the crown to be made, during which time you’ll be given a temporary cap, fitted with a temporary cement material to hold the cap in place until you return to have your dental crown fitted.
For both appointments, the dentists will numb the mouth to make the treatment pain-free.
Once the permanent crown is in place, our dentists then inspect it to make sure the fit is comfortable and functional for you ensuring it doesn’t negatively impact your natural bite. Once you know it’s a comfortable fit that you’re happy with, only then will our dentist fix it in place using either a dental glue or a permanent cement.
Savings on quality porcelain crowns in Poland
The average saving per dental crown in our Krakow dental practice saves Brits between £360 to £550 per cap depending on the type of material you choose. You do have choices, and all of them are long-lasting. Acrylic resin, porcelain crowns, various other metal types and amalgams (a mixture of materials) are available.
Polish My Smile have been arranging dental holidays for UK patients to travel to Krakow, Poland since 2007. Over 4,000 patients have had successful dental work completed, sometimes saving thousands in fees, and experiencing a relaxing break in a city filled with wonders.
If you’re considering having dental crowns abroad, we welcome you to contact us to find out more about our travel and specialist dental vacation packages. You’ll be thrilled by our prices and even happier with the results.
Questions and answers on dental crowns
Why would I need a crown?
There are a number of reasons as to why you might need a crown fitted. For instance:
– If you have had a large filling, your tooth may have been weakened.
– You might wish to improve the appearance of discoloured fillings
– Your root filling may require a crown for protection
– You might have damaged a tooth in an accident
– It might help to hold dentures or bridges in place
What are crowns made of?
A variety of different materials are used to make crowns, with new materials constantly appearing on the market. Some of the most popular options included porcelain bonded to precious metal (the most common option), in which a precious metal base is covered in layers of porcelain.
Porcelain crowns themselves are not as strong as bonded crowns but have a very natural look, meaning that they tend to be used most often on front teeth.
Porcelain and composite crowns utilize composite resins in order to look natural, but are considerably weaker than bonded metal crowns.
Glass crowns are an option for those who want a very natural look whilst also maintaining the strength of the crown, and can be used both on front and back teeth.
Gold/palladium precious metal crowns are perhaps the most resistant and hard-wearing option for crowns, but tend not to be used at the front of the mouth as they are very visible and don’t look as natural as other options.
How is a tooth prepared for a crown?
Before crowns are fitted, the tooth must be fully prepared. The outer surface of the tooth is removed, leaving the inner core of the tooth. The amount of enamel which is removed will be equal to the thickness of the crown, ensuring that the tooth remains at its natural size after the procedure. Impressions of the tooth and jaws are taken and given to the technician in order for the crown to be produced.
Who makes the crown?
A specialist dental technician will make your crown based on the impressions taken and the information given by the dentist. They will also make a mould of your mouth to ensure that the crowns fit as they should.
Will the crown be noticeable?
Absolutely not! Crowns are designed to match your teeth precisely in order to ensure they are not noticeable. The shade of your crown will be matched to its neighbouring teeth in order to ensure colour cohesion. Your initial temporary crown might be slightly noticeable, but this is only in place for a week or two.
How long will a crown last?
This all depends on how well you look after your new crown. The crown itself will maintain its condition and won’t decay like a tooth, but decay can attack the edge of the crown where it joins onto your natural tooth. You need to keep this area particularly clean and ensure that you care properly for your crowns. If properly looked after, your crowns will last for many years.
Are alternatives available?
There are alternatives available, including veneers. Your dentist is best-placed to advise as to which alternatives are available and may be suitable for your particular requirements.