Zirconia Crowns

Where it may be suitable

• A tooth with a large loss of structure or a fracture that a filling cannot repair
• Back teeth, where chewing forces are high
• Replacing missing teeth with a bridge (a conventional bridge also needs the neighbouring supporting teeth to be reduced)
• Crowns on implants
• People who want a restoration without metal, or who are unhappy with a visible metal edge

Where it is not suitable, or another option should be considered first

• Healthy, well-shaped teeth. Crowning a healthy tooth only for its appearance means removing a large amount of tissue. Options that remove less should be considered first, such as teeth whitening, shaping with composite (bonding) or porcelain veneers. See "Crown or veneer" below.
• Crowded or rotated teeth. "Straightening" teeth with crowns means removing a great deal of tooth, so orthodontic treatment is assessed first.
• Teeth that a filling or a partial restoration can repair. An inlay fills a cavity inside the tooth; an onlay also covers weakened cusps (the raised chewing points) where needed. If enough of the tooth remains, these can take the place of a full crown.
• Untreated decay or gum disease. These are treated first.

Where extra care is needed

• Clenching and grinding. Ceramic crowns can wear down the natural tooth they bite against; your dentist may recommend a night guard.
• Expectations about appearance on front teeth. Some types of zirconia are more opaque than glass ceramics. Where appearance matters most, lithium disilicate (often called e.max) is also considered.
• Veneers. A 2025 review found no long-term data¹ for zirconia veneers; options with better-documented long-term results should be considered.

The right option is decided at an examination, with X-rays assessed where needed.

• Doing nothing, or monitoring. For a tooth that causes no symptoms and has kept its structure, waiting is an option; your dentist will explain the risk to you.
• A filling or a partial restoration. An inlay fills a cavity inside the tooth; an onlay also covers weakened cusps where needed. Both keep more of the healthy tooth than a full crown.
• For a missing tooth, options other than a bridge. In suitable patients, an implant, a resin-bonded bridge (glued to the neighbouring teeth) or a removable denture is also considered. Leaving the gap and monitoring it is another option.
• Monolithic (single-piece) zirconia. Made entirely of zirconia, with no separate layer of porcelain on top.
• Layered zirconia. Porcelain is built up on a zirconia framework. The layer allows colour and surface detail to be tailored to the person; small fractures of the porcelain layer (chipping) are more common.
• Lithium disilicate glass ceramic (e.max). Used, where conditions suit, for single crowns on front and back teeth, veneers and partial restorations.
• Metal-ceramic (porcelain fused to metal). The option that has been used for decades for long bridges and under heavy loads.

How the result looks depends on more than the material: the colour of the tooth underneath, the laboratory's work and the clinical conditions matter too.

All of these options are also available from dentists in the UK, and a UK dentist can give you an independent opinion before you decide.

In Turkey you may hear the word kaplama for both crowns and veneers, so ask which one is proposed for each tooth. The two remove very different amounts of tooth, and neither can be undone.

• A porcelain veneer is a thin layer of ceramic bonded to the front of a tooth. Usually only a thin layer of enamel is taken from the front. When enamel is removed for a veneer, that removal cannot be undone².
• A crown covers the whole tooth. The tooth is reduced on every surface, and this often goes through the enamel into the dentine beneath it. A laboratory study used plastic model back teeth. There, full crown preparations removed about two thirds to three quarters³ of the visible part of the tooth. These are laboratory values and give only a sense of scale.

What a crown can mean for the tooth's nerve is set out under risks, below.

What "Turkey teeth" refers to

In British media, "Turkey teeth" is a loose label for extensive cosmetic dental work, such as a full row of very white crowns or veneers. One concern raised with it is that healthy front teeth were cut down for full crowns when the patient expected veneers. The criticism is not of ceramics. It is of a plan that gave healthy teeth more treatment than they needed, without the patient understanding which treatment it was.

A crown on a healthy, straight front tooth, made only for colour or a small fault in shape, reduces the tooth for no clinical reason. This is why whitening, bonding and veneers come first on this page when the only concern is appearance.

Before you agree to crowns on healthy teeth

The British Dental Association advises that patients should be aware of the risks and alternatives to the treatment they want⁴. Dentists in the UK must give patients a written treatment plan before their treatment starts⁵, and an updated one in writing if it changes. That is the GDC's standard for dentists on its UK register, not a rule for a clinic in Turkey; ask for the same. Before any tooth is prepared, ask:

1. Which teeth will have a crown, which a veneer, and which nothing?
2. For each crown, why is a filling, an onlay, a veneer, bonding or whitening not enough for that tooth?
3. How much will be removed from each tooth, and can I have that in writing?
4. Can I take the plan and my X-rays to a dentist in the UK for a second opinion before I decide?

The answers should rest on the state of each tooth, not on a package or a material. A plan that gives every tooth the same treatment needs a reason, tooth by tooth. You can say no, or ask to stop, at any stage. Once a tooth has been prepared, that step cannot be undone.

If you already have crowns from earlier treatment that are causing problems, see replacing previous dental work.

The steps below are for crowns on natural teeth and are usually completed in two or three appointments. Bridges and work on several teeth can take longer. A crown on an implant needs no natural tooth to be prepared. It is attached to the implant with a screw or with cement, and its care is specific to implants. How the appointments fit a trip is covered in "Treatment in Antalya when you live in the UK".

The risks below apply to crowns on natural teeth. The figures come from published studies, not from the clinic's own results.

Risks and disadvantages

• It cannot be undone. Tissue is removed from every surface of the tooth for a crown; from then on, the crowned tooth will always need a restoration.
• Effect on the tooth's nerve. The pooled results of 37 studies cover teeth that were alive at the start. These teeth then received a crown or a partial restoration, or supported a bridge. In about 5 in every 100 of these teeth, the nerve died⁶. In studies with more than ten years of follow-up, the figure was about 7 in 100. The certainty of this evidence is low. If it happens, root canal treatment is needed to keep the tooth.
• New decay. A crown does not protect the tooth beneath it from decay. New decay can develop at its edge or underneath it.
• Wear of the opposing tooth. Ceramic crowns can wear down the natural tooth they bite against. In studies of monolithic zirconia lasting 6 to 24 months, the deepest wear measured on the opposing tooth averaged about 0.1 mm⁷. The review could not reliably say how this compares with the wear natural teeth cause on each other. Surface roughness, polishing and the bite all affect wear.
• Fracture. On layered zirconia, small fractures can occur in the porcelain layer on top⁸. Monolithic zirconia has no separate layer, so no layer can come away; but edge fractures or larger fractures can still occur in the zirconia itself.
• Sensitivity. Sensitivity to hot and cold may follow the procedure. Tell a dentist if it does not settle or keeps getting worse.
• Coming loose, and replacement. No crown stays in place for ever; when the time comes, it needs replacing.

Benefits

• It has no metal framework, so no metal edge shows. The colour of the tooth underneath or a receding gum can still make the edge look darker.
• Its stronger types can be used on back teeth and in bridges. Whether it suits a bridge depends on the properties of the product used, the length of the gap and the design.

After the procedure, wait until the anaesthetic has worn off before eating or drinking. While the temporary crown is in place, avoid hard and sticky foods. Mild sensitivity and tender gums are common in the first days.

Daily care

• Brush twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste.
• Clean every day where the crown meets the gum, and under bridges; use interdental brushes or bridge floss.
• If you clench or grind your teeth, wear the night guard your dentist recommends.
• Keep up regular check-ups.

Studies do not give a lifespan in years. They report how many crowns are still in place after a period of time. The figures below come from published studies, not from the clinic's own results. They describe crowns staying in the mouth; they do not mean that no problem or repair was needed during that time.

A 2026 review combined the results of earlier studies of single crowns on natural teeth. It estimated how many of every 100 would still be in place after five years. For monolithic zirconia, layered zirconia and metal-ceramic alike, it was about 97⁸. For monolithic lithium disilicate it was 98 to 99. According to the same review, fractures and chipping were significantly less common on single-piece crowns than on layered ones.

The material, the state of the tooth, the bite, oral hygiene and workmanship all affect how long a crown stays in place. These estimates are for single crowns on natural teeth and cannot be applied directly to bridges or implant crowns⁸.

Contact your dentist if any of the following happens:

• The crown feels loose or comes off (keep it, and do not glue it back yourself)
• The crown cracks or porcelain chips off
• Sensitivity that does not settle, or keeps getting worse
• Pain that starts on its own, wakes you at night or gets worse when you bite
• Swelling, bleeding or discharge from the gum around the crown
• The crown feels high when you bite, or your jaw feels tired

If pain is increasing, or you have facial swelling or a fever, see a dentist where you are without waiting for the clinic's reply. A dental abscess does not go away on its own and needs urgent treatment by a dentist⁹. In England, the NHS advises asking for an urgent dentist appointment or getting help from NHS 111⁹ if you think you have a dental abscess. If you do not have a dentist or cannot get an emergency appointment, it says to call 111 or use 111 online⁹. This is the NHS England route; elsewhere in the UK, check the local arrangements.

Emergencies. The following need urgent medical help⁹. Do not wait for a dental appointment or for the clinic's reply. In the UK, call 999 or go to A&E. In Turkey, the emergency number is 112.

• Swelling that makes it hard to breathe, speak or swallow
• Swelling around your eye or in your neck¹⁰
• Swelling or pain in the eye, or sudden problems with your sight
• A lot of swelling inside your mouth
• Difficulty opening your mouth

Before you fly home

Make sure your bite has been checked and that you have written care instructions and your treatment record.

Once you are back in the UK

If a problem comes up that is not urgent, write to the clinic and send photographs. See your own dentist in the UK for problems that need someone to look in your mouth. If you do not have a dentist, use NHS 111 as described above. In the emergencies above, do not wait for a reply.

A crown on a natural tooth usually needs two or three appointments. The crown is usually made in a laboratory between preparing the tooth and fitting it, and you wear a temporary crown in between. The number of days in Antalya depends on how many teeth are treated and whether a bridge is involved. It also depends on whether decay, root canal or gum problems need treating first. Before you book, you receive a written preliminary plan based on the photographs and any X-rays you send. It sets out the appointments and how many days they need. It is not a diagnosis: the examination confirms or changes it, and with it the days and the cost. If it changes, you receive the revised plan in writing before treatment starts. After the examination, you can still decide not to go ahead, before any tooth is prepared.

Flying. A 2023 review of flying after dental treatment suggests waiting at least 24 hours after restorative treatment¹¹. It suggests longer after surgical procedures, such as placing an implant. The authors note that the research is limited and comes mainly from military aviation. Treat it as a starting point for your dentist's advice, not as a rule.

Your own dentist

The UK General Dental Council suggests talking to your own dentist¹² before you go. They need to know the plan in case problems come up later. If you do not have a dentist in the UK, it helps to find one before you travel. The NHS lists exchanging medical records and arranging aftercare back home¹³ among the things to consider before treatment abroad.

Ask for a written record of the treatment, including the materials used, to take back to them. It should show which teeth were crowned, whether the zirconia is monolithic or layered, and any root canal treatment. In Turkey, the health tourism regulation entitles international patients to an itemised bill. On request, they also get free copies of the records of the materials used, the tests and the imaging¹⁴.

A crown needs regular check-ups for as long as it is in the mouth. These are usually with your own dentist in the UK. National guidance in England (NICE) says the interval between check-ups should be set for each person according to their risk¹⁵ and discussed with them.

If a problem appears after you are home

Problems that appear after you return are usually first seen by your own dentist in the UK. For a problem that is not urgent, you can also write to the clinic and send photographs. Before you start, ask what the clinic's written terms say about a crown that comes loose, chips or fails after you are home. Ask whether a repair would be done in the UK or on another trip, and who pays for the repair and the travel.

What the NHS does and does not do

If you later need NHS dental care in England or Wales, having been treated abroad does not by itself shut you out of it. An NHS dental practice that accepts you as a patient provides clinically necessary treatment, with your consent¹⁶. That may not be a new zirconia crown. The free repair or replacement¹⁶ an NHS practice can give for its own work does not apply to work done by another provider. The NHS also states that it is not liable for negligence or failure of treatment¹³ when you have treatment abroad. On the NHS England routes that fund planned treatment abroad, you cannot get reimbursement for dental treatment¹⁷.

The NHS guidance quoted here is for England, and for England and Wales where stated. Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own NHS rules, which this page does not cover; if you live there, check the arrangements.

Travel insurance

The NHS says that most travel insurance policies will not cover you for planned treatment abroad¹³, so you may need specialist cover. Tell your insurer about your plans.

The General Dental Council lists questions to ask before treatment abroad¹². Below are most of them, with what this page can answer today and what to ask for in writing.

1. Who will carry out my treatment, and what are their qualifications? The treatment is provided by our clinic in Antalya, Turkey, and carried out there by the clinic's dentists. Ask for the name of the dentist who will prepare your teeth and fit your crowns. Ask where they qualified and what their title is.
2. Are you regulated by a professional body and registered with it? In Turkey, a health facility needs an authorisation certificate¹⁴ from the Ministry of Health to treat international patients. Authorised facilities appear in a register the Ministry publishes¹⁸, so you can check it yourself. The authorisation belongs to the facility, not to the dentist, and it says nothing about the result of your treatment. Ask for the treating dentist's own registration details as well. See health tourism authorisation.
3. How often have you done this, and what are your success and complication rates? The figures on this page come from published studies, not from the clinic's own results; this page gives no figures for the clinic. Ask for the clinic's figures in writing, and how they were collected.
4. Are the remake and correction terms in writing, and for how long do they apply? This page makes no guarantee. Ask for the clinic's written terms for remaking a crown or bridge and for handling complications, and read them before you commit. Check what they say about a crown that fails after you are back in the UK.
5. What aftercare do you provide, and who can I contact after the treatment? Your written plan should name who to contact, how, and in which language.
6. If there are complications, who pays for further treatment, extra flights and the hotel? Ask for the answer in writing before you commit.
7. Do you have a complaints system, and can I see a copy? Ask for it before treatment. The GDC says it cannot resolve complaints or help with refunds¹⁹; its investigations concern the dentists on its own register. Turkey's health tourism regulation makes the facility responsible for complications and medical malpractice arising after the health service it provided¹⁴.
8. Will the dentist speak English, or will there be a translator? Ask before you book who will explain the plan, the consent form and the aftercare instructions to you.
9. Do you have insurance to cover this treatment? In Turkey a facility treating international patients must take out complication insurance for surgical and interventional procedures carried out in an operating theatre¹⁴. That does not by itself tell you whether your treatment is covered, so ask which procedures in your plan, if any, fall under it. Ask too, in writing, whether the clinic or the treating dentist holds insurance for complications or errors, what it covers and whom it protects.
10. What happens if the examination shows that a crown is not needed, or not right for me? You can say no, or ask to stop, at any stage. Once a tooth has been prepared, that step cannot be undone. Ask before you book what you would pay in that case.

The NHS names warning signs to think about before booking any treatment abroad. They are a hard sell, a lack of information, pressure to make a quick decision, no discussion of possible complications, and no mention of aftercare¹⁷. Apply them to this clinic too.

This page does not show prices. A treatment plan is prepared for you after an examination. The main factors that shape it are:

• How many teeth need crowns, or how many units a bridge has
• Monolithic or layered zirconia, and the laboratory work
• Treatment needed first: decay treatment, root canal treatment, gum treatment, rebuilding the tooth
• A night guard, if needed
• The number of trips the appointments need

Ask for the plan in writing, including what it covers and which procedures would be assessed separately. Ask too who pays for further treatment and extra travel if there is a complication.

If you are comparing with a quote from a UK practice, compare what each one includes, item by item.