Tag: Dental crown

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Dental crowns on the NHS: Everything you need to know!

To get dental crowns on the NHS, you need to comply with certain criteria. Find out more about those criterias and the aternatives available to you if you are not eligible! What is a dental crown? 🦷 A dental crown is a fixed prosthesis that looks like a natural tooth, with the same shape and colour. It can be attached to an original tooth that has been shaped if the tooth is still in a good health condition but has been damaged, chipped or stained. However, the crown is attached to a dental implant if the tooth is missing or needs to be removed. A dental crown is also known as a tooth cap. It is a great restorative solution to help a patient gain back their eating, chewing and biting functions. Who needs dental crowns? Firstly, dental crowns are the perfect solution to restore damaged teeth. It is to say, for people with chipped, cracked or broken teeth. It is also made for weakened teeth, as the crown would strengthen it. Lastly, anyone with a tooth decay will be advised a dental crown as a filling is not possible anymore. Secondly, people who would like to improve the aesthetic of their smile can opt for a dental crown. It is a great way to fix misaligned teeth or an unwanted teeth colour. How much does a dental crown cost? A dental crown, compared to a dental implant, is a more affordable option. In the UK, the cost of a dental crown can vary between £500 and £800. However, there are some solutions to lower your cost. Can I get a dental crown on the NHS? 🇬🇧 Yes, you can get a dental crown on the NHS. However, there is an eligibility criterion to respect. You can only get a dental crown on the NHS if it’s for the medical need of a tooth restoration. That is to say that if you would like to fix uneven teeth or fix the colour of your teeth, the NHS won’t take in charge your crowns fees. For a restoration, a dental crown on the NHS is available within the Band 3 in the UK (England, Scotland, Wales, Norther Ireland). The NHS band 3, dedicated to dental crowns and bridges, charges for £306,80. This is the amount you would pay no matter how many crowns you will get, only if it is done under the same treatment course. However, there are some downsides of getting a dental crown under the NHS. Disadvantages of getting a dental crown on the NHS: The appearance 😁 The first inconvenient of dental crowns offered under the NHS is the appearance of the crowns. For back teeth, you will only be able to get metal-coloured crowns, which is not the most aesthetically pleasing type of crown. For front teeth, you will get to have white-coloured crowns, which is more natural looking. However, only one shade of white is available. Unfortunately, it doesn’t always match the variety of shades of natural teeth, going from yellow to white. The dental crowns on the NHS have an inner metal core that can show along the gum line and give a dull look. Additionally, you won’t be able to get all-porcelain crowns or zirconia crowns because of their higher cost. As the crowns provided by the NHS are primarily designed for functional rather than aesthetic purposes, going for a private clinic might be worth it for a more natural look. The waiting time 🕗 The second inconvenient of dental crowns on the NHS is the long waiting times, in both scheduling your initial appointment and having your crown fabricated. NHS dental fees often lead to extended waiting times for specific dental treatments, primarily because they offer a more affordable alternative to private care. To speed up the process, you might want to look at private clinic as they benefit from short waiting lists. What are the alternatives to the NHS? ✈️ Private clinics As mentioned previously, you can choose to go privately to get a more aesthetically pleasing result and avoid long waiting times. With a private clinic, you can easily get all-porcelain crowns or zirconia crowns, and a wide range of option for the colour and the shape of the crown. However, a dental crown in a private clinic can cost up to 3 times more than a dental crown on the NHS. Dental tourism The best solution to go private but still save money is to opt for dental tourism. For the past few years, dental tourism has been rising with many patients travelling abroad to receive their dental treatment. If they do so, it is because the cost of such treatment in they home country is way out of budget. And contrary to the popular belief, adding the flights and the accommodation to the cost of the dental treatment doesn’t make dental tourism more expensive. It is on the other-hand more cost effective. Many Brits have been opting for this solution as they are unable to get an appointment under the NHS or the private dental clinics in the UK are extremely expensive. Countries like Spain, Hungary or Roumania provide outstanding levels of care, all while charging significantly less than what you would find in the UK. That is because of the lower cost of living and renting a place in those countries, and lower minimum wages. However, you can rest assured that a lower cost doesn’t mean a lower quality. These dental clinics work with the same materials as in the UK, are highly equipped with the latest technologies, and the dental surgeons are highly-qualified. What is the best destination for dental tourism? By getting dental crowns abroad, patients save up to 60% compared to the UK. On an international level, Turkey and Tunisia are the most popular destinations for patients seeking dental tourism. Even though these 2 countries offer the lowest prices, the materials they use to place the crowns are not renowned in the UK … Continued

The five types of dental crown: benefits, differences and cost

Getting a dental crown is an ideal solution to improve the aesthetic of someone’s smile. However, there are 5 different dental crown types you can choose from, which can bring confusion. Here are their differences, benefits and respective costs. What is a dental crown? A dental crown is a fixed prosthesis that looks like a natural tooth, as it reproduces the exact same shape and colour of the natural ones. In most cases, people get crowns in order to protect a broken, damaged, chipped, malformed, stained or devitalized tooth. However, it is also a solution highly used to replace a missing tooth. The crown can then be attached to the original tooth, after beeing properly prepared, or placed on an implant if the tooth is missing or unhealthy. Unlike a dental bridge, that is a set of interconnected crowns, a crown is placed on one tooth only. Dental crown have many advantages, as following: They give a very natural aesthetic result: the colour and shape of the crown adapt to the patient’s natural teeth, allowing the crown to blend in perfectly with the rest of the teeth. They help regain an excellent chewing comfort: thanks to their exceptional strength and durability, they are perfectly functional. Lastly, they are an affordable solution: a dental crown placed on a root is generally three times cheaper than an implant and doesn’t require any surgery. Who needs dental crown? Dental crowns are recommended for patient with the following issues: To restore teeth that have been weakened by fillings, severe decay, and root canal treatment. To correct smile imperfections related to the colour of your teeth, their alignment or their shape. To replace a missing tooth. Dental crown procedure The application of a dental crown is achieved in 3 steps: First, the preliminary assessment. Before starting your treatment, your dental surgeon will offer you a complete check-up including an oral examination and a radiological examination. This preliminary check-up is essential to establish your treatment plan. Second, the making of the crown. In order to fit your dental crown, the dental surgeon will need to trim your tooth to create space for it. He will then take your impressions which will be sent to the dental laboratory to make your custom-made crown. If you are missing a tooth, they will proceed to an implant placement. Third, the crown fitting session. Once the crown is ready, your dentist will be able to seal it onto the abutment teeth using a sealing paste or the pillar of the implant. What are the different dental crown types? Before getting dental crown, it’s important to know that there are 5 different dental crown types. They mostly differ on the materials used, their cost and the patient’s expectations. These are the 5 dental crown types: Gold Crowns They are fully made of gold or gold alloys, and they are a part of the all metal crown category. Gold crowns mostly serve to cover a damaged tooth for the back of the mouth. It is important to know that some patients may be allergic to metal and aren’t eligible to gold crown, also known as metal crowns. It is then necessary to inform your dentist of any metal allergies you may have. This type crown is very durable because of its strength. But the main downside is that they don’t look like natural teeth as the gold is visible. Metal-Ceramic Crowns Metal-Ceramic crowns consists of two basic materials: metal alloy and dental ceramic. The inner part of the crown is made of metal and the outer part is covered with ceramic. The ceramic gives an aesthetically pleasing look to the crown, however the inner metal part may cause a grey line, visible at the edge of the gumline. They provide both strength and aesthetic which makes them cost-worthy. Porcelain Crowns Porcelain dental crowns are fully made of porcelain and they are the most popular type of crowns used nowadays. They are 100% biocompatible, which means that they don’t have any metal. It is a very good choice for patients with allergiies to metal. Porcelain crowns may be more expensive than the other dental crown types such as metal crowns, but they give a natural aesthetic look. Zirconia Crowns As opposed to the Porcelain fused to metal dental crowns, the Zirconia ones have no metal framework. The inner part of the crown is made out of Zirconia and the outer part is covered with ceramic, ensuring a natural looking result. This material is particularly resistant and long-lasting while also giving a very aesthetically pleasing result. E-max Crowns These are the newest type of dental crowns. It is an all-ceramic dental crown made out of lithium disilicate. E-max dental crown provide a natural aesthetic look and are a great choice for both front and back teeth. They are durable and strong whilst being more pricey. The dental crown types at the EL CEDRO Barcelona clinic At the EL CEDRO clinic, we chose to work with metal-ceramic crowns and zirconia crowns only. In fact, they both offer qualitative and durable results while being at affordable prices for our patients. As you can tell, we chose the crowns giving the most natural looking result that allow acess to everyone. During your first appointment at the clinic, you will be able to choose whether you want to have zirconia crowns or metal-ceramic crowns depending on your budget and on your result’s expectations. You will then be able to choose the exact shape, color and size of your crowns so that they can match the rest of your teeth and give a natural result. Dental crown types: prices in 2022 The price of a dental crown varies according to the material chosen, the type of crowns and it also varies from a dentist to another. Q&A How long does a dental crown last? On average, the life span of a dental crown is between 10 to 20 years. It is important to remember that once your dental … Continued