Dental crowns are one of the most frequently used tools in dentistry. This is because they provide an answer to many of the most common dental problems. They can also be combined with other means such as implants, bridges and dentures. From preserving and strengthening an orderly tooth, to improving the aesthetic vision – dental crowns find a wide range of applications.
What is a Dental Crown
A dental crown is a tooth-shaped covering that is placed over a damaged tooth. The crown restores the shape and size of the tooth, increases its strength and also the way it looks. A well-made crown is indistinguishable from other teeth both in appearance and strength.
What are dental crowns used for
Indeed, the application of dental crowns is very wide. Some of the main problems they solve are:
To protect damaged teeth from further damage, as well as to strengthen them;
To restore a broken or very worn tooth;
To cover a dental implant;
To cover and strengthen a tooth with a very large filling;
To cover severely deformed or discoloured teeth;
To make a cosmetic modification.
What materials are dental crowns made of?
The main materials from which a dental crown can be made are gold, porcelain, porcelain fused to metal, zirconium and lithium disilicate.
Gold crowns
They are not actually gold, but are made of various copper alloys. They are not a very popular option these days, but are still used and offered in certain cases. This is because they have several specific advantages:
Extremely strong and resistant to wear – their rate of wear is very low, comparable to that of tooth enamel;
Their placement requires the removal of a smaller part of the tooth on which they are placed;
With proper care, they last extremely long.
The obvious disadvantage of this type of crown is that they do not look like natural teeth. Also, in rare cases, they can cause allergic reactions in people sensitive to these metals.
Porcelain crowns
Probably the most popular type of crown used today. They are completely made of porcelain. In terms of how they look, porcelain crowns are the closest to natural teeth. They can be made virtually indistinguishable in shape, size, color and texture. This is why this type of material is preferred when crowns are to be placed on front teeth. Porcelain is also a material that is non-toxic and does not cause allergic reactions.
The main disadvantage of porcelain crowns is their lower strength. Therefore, patients with bruxism are unsuitable for placement of porcelain crowns.
Metal-porcelain crowns
This is also one of the most popular types of crowns that are used. They combine the qualities of the materials that are used for their manufacture – strength, because their base is metal, and an excellent aesthetic appearance, which is achieved with the porcelain coating. They are an excellent choice, not only because of the strength and aesthetics, but also because of the good price – significantly lower than all-porcelain crowns.
Their main drawback is that sometimes the metal forms a thin gray line, just above the gum, which disturbs the perfect aesthetic appearance.
Zirconium crowns
Zirconium is a material that has been used for a relatively short time. This material has strength similar to that of metal and aesthetic possibilities similar to those of porcelain. For this reason, it is gaining more and more popularity. Zirconium has many advantages:
Strength and excellent aesthetic appearance;
The crown can be made on site without the need to send it to a dental laboratory;
Excellent acceptance by the patient’s body – the absence of metal excludes the possibility of an allergic reaction;
Zirconium has excellent wear resistance and is very durable over time.
The qualities of zirconia can sometimes be a problem – teeth against a zirconia crown may start to wear faster due to the strength of the crown. Sometimes because of the thickness of the material, these crowns are difficult to adjust.
Lithium dislicate crowns
This material is the latest to be used to make crowns in the modern dental industry. It is a type of ceramic material that is light, thin and very strong. Crowns made of lithium dislocate are very strong and look great. They are an excellent choice for both front and back teeth. Their main disadvantage is the higher price.
What is the procedure for placing a dental crown
Usually two or three visits to the clinic, spaced over several days, are required to fully complete the dental crown placement procedure.
At the first visit, the doctor processes the teeth that will be fitted with crowns and then takes an impression either through a special silicone mold or through specialised computerised technology that scans the teeth and jaws. The impression then goes to the dental laboratory where the crowns are made.
At the second visit to the clinic, the finished crown is placed and tested. If everything is in order, depending on the type of crown, it is either permanently bonded (for porcelain crowns) or sent for porcelain coating (for metal-porcelain crowns).
If it was necessary to return the crown to the dental laboratory for finishing, at your third visit, it will be permanently placed.
What are the prices of dental crowns
The price will be the best possible for you, not only compared to the prices in England, but also as a price-quality ratio.
We offer an online consultation with our doctors, who, after getting to know your case, will be able to offer you different options and corresponding prices for making crowns.
Dental crowns protect and strengthen damaged teeth, preventing further decay and maintaining the tooth’s structure, which can prolong the life of your natural teeth.
Maintain dental crowns by practicing good oral hygiene, including regular brushing, flossing, and dental check-ups to ensure longevity and health of the crowns and surrounding teeth.
No special care is required beyond your regular oral hygiene routine. However, avoiding habits like grinding your teeth or chewing on ice can help extend the life of your crowns.
Yes, besides improving appearance and function, dental crowns can alleviate pain from damaged teeth and help maintain oral health by protecting teeth from further decay or damage.
Once you have made contact with us, we will organize a free video consultation with the surgeon we believe is best suited for your particular situation.
This consultation will be within 5 days of your request. Prior to the video consultation, we will ask you to fill out a questionnaire about your medical history and send photos of the problematic areas.
If necessary during the video consultation your doctor will advise you to take additional photos of the problematic areas and suggestions for the angle from which to take photos.
This consultation will be combined with a detailed discussion about your wishes and the possibilities for achieving them. We will discuss with you the expected results, possible risks and any other issues that you might be concerned about.
We advise you to make a list of all the questions you may want to ask concerning the procedure before the actual consultation. After the official request to us, and if you wish, we can arrange a meeting for you with our representative in London.
Within 24 hours of the video consultation, we will send you a costing describing the price of the procedure and the needed length of stay in Bulgaria. In the costing there will also be preferential prices offered for our partner hotels with which we work and for which we can guarantee the quality and comfort.
You will then have 3-4 days of time to reflect, and give us your decision.
If you decide to proceed and agree with all terms and conditions , you will have 48 hours within which you must prepay 30% of the total amount of the procedure. This amount is paid directly to the clinic where your procedure will be performed and thereby you will have a reserved date and time for your procedure and a room in the hotel you have chosen. The remaining balance has to be paid by the day before the procedure itself after conducting the preliminary examination in the clinic.
If you decide or need to cancel the procedure, this must be done at least 30 days before the date of your flight in order to be able to trigger a process for returning your deposit.
If you decide to cancel our services within the last 30 days before your flight, you must have a good reason for doing so (supported by evidence) in order to take your money back. If you cancel it within these 30 days and the reason is acceptable, your money will be returned, but you will be suspended 50 euro for an administrative fee. If you wish to change the date of the procedure, this can happen at least 30 days before.
If you wish, we can also arrange your travel from your home to the airport. We are partners with a transport company and you can use our preferential prices. This also applies to your return flight. To do this, you will need to send us the details of your flight one week in advance.
Upon arrival in Bulgaria, you will be greeted at the airport by one of our employees who will take you to your hotel.
On the day before the operation, you will have a preliminary examination, where some necessary tests will be performed (e.g. blood tests) and we will specify all the details related to the operation (treatment plan, proposal for some additional or adjacent procedures for a better outcome, recovery plan etc). Our employee will take you to the clinic and after that to the place where you are to be accommodated.
Before the surgery, you will need to sign an informed consent document (i.e. a document certifying that you have been informed by the doctor about all potential risks and complications and that you understand them) and agree to proceed with the procedure).
On the day of the operation our employee will bring you back to the clinic. Depending on the procedure, you may need to have one or several days of hospital stay. After the completion of the procedure and the hospital stay, our employee will take you back to your hotel.
During the entire stay, our employee will be at your service throughout.
If you wish, and if the procedure allows, we can arrange your stay according to your requirements but this must be specified in advance.
On the day of departure, you will be accompanied by our employee back to the airport.
If you wish, we can arrange your stay according to your requirements. This must be specified in advance.
You will be provided with a detailed plan on the recovery process.
Online consultations in the recovery period will be arranged with your surgeon, but if you have stayed in the hospital after your procedure, the doctor will give you post-operative examinations on the first and third days.
On the seventh and fourteenth days, preventive online consultations will be made to track how the recovery goes.
Online consultation reviews are also done on the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 6thmonths.You will be able to contact us at any time!
