What are dental crowns?
A dental crown is a custom-made cover that fits over a tooth. For this reason, people often call it a cap. It restores the shape, strength and look of the tooth, so you can bite and chew on it again.
A veneer covers only the front of a tooth. By contrast, a crown covers the whole visible tooth, down to the gum. Once your dentist cements it, it stays fixed, so you can't take it out.
Most dental crowns in Turkey, as in the UK, are either metal-ceramic or all-ceramic. In addition, some crowns sit on an implant rather than on a natural tooth. This guide covers crowns on natural teeth.
When do you need a crown?
A crown is a repair for a tooth that has lost a lot of its structure. For example, your dentist may suggest one if a tooth:
- Is badly broken or damaged
- Has a large filling and is weak
- Has had root canal treatment
- Is worn down or cracked
- Is badly discoloured or uneven in shape
Crowns can also hold a bridge in place, or help keep a denture steady. Also, if a tooth is badly broken but the root is still strong, your dentist may use a small post inside the root to hold the crown.
Root canal treatment removes the infected nerve from inside a tooth. Afterwards, your dentist seals the tooth with a filling or a crown, so it doesn't get infected again. In one study of 203 root-filled teeth, teeth without a crown were lost about six times as often as crowned teeth.
However, the picture isn't simple. A Cochrane review found too little trial evidence to say whether crowns beat fillings for root-filled teeth. So your dentist decides tooth by tooth. In particular, the amount of sound tooth left and a small collar of tooth for the crown to grip both matter.
Main materials for dental crowns in Turkey
Today, crowns come in several materials, for example ceramic and metal-ceramic. Each one balances strength and looks in its own way, so the right choice depends on the tooth, your bite and your goals.
Made from zirconia, a very strong ceramic. Monolithic (solid) crowns chip less than layered ones.
A glass-ceramic called lithium disilicate. It had the highest five-year survival in a 2026 review.
All-ceramic crowns with a very natural look. However, some older types are weaker on back teeth.
Porcelain fused to metal. It is one of the most common types, with decades of use.
Gold alloy crowns also exist. They are very hard-wearing, although most people choose a tooth-coloured crown for teeth that show. Meanwhile, some ceramic crowns can be designed by computer and made in one visit.
Which crown material is best?
No single material suits every tooth. For instance, a front tooth needs a natural look, while a back molar takes heavy biting forces. So your dentist matches the material to the tooth, rather than using one type everywhere.
Dental crowns vs veneers in Turkey
People often mix up crowns and veneers. Yet they are very different treatments. A veneer is a thin shell bonded to the front of a tooth. On the other hand, a crown wraps around the whole tooth, so the dentist shapes it on every side.
So a crown makes sense when a tooth needs protection. By contrast, a veneer is usually the gentler choice when a healthy tooth only needs a change in colour or shape. When you compare dental crowns in Turkey with veneers, ask which problem each option solves.
Dental crowns on healthy teeth in Turkey: when less is more
A crown can protect a damaged tooth. However, on a healthy tooth, it means removing a large amount of sound tooth for mainly cosmetic reasons. That is why over-treatment is a real concern.
In a lab study on model front teeth, crown preparations removed about 63% to 72% of the visible tooth. Veneer preparations, however, removed about 3% to 30%. So a crown takes away most of the tooth you can see.
Drilling can also affect the nerve inside the tooth. For example, one study followed 120 teeth with healthy nerves that dentists prepared for crowns. In the end, 9% of these teeth lost their nerve without any symptoms. However, the rate was 5% in intact teeth, compared with 13% in teeth that already had fillings or decay.
In the UK, the phrase "Turkey teeth" often describes full sets of crowns on healthy teeth, sometimes sold as "veneers". Our veneers guide already covers this concern in detail, so we won't repeat it here. In short, the country isn't the issue. Instead, the issue is how much healthy tooth a plan removes.
Do healthy teeth need crowns for a whiter smile?
Usually not. Whitening, bonding, veneers or orthodontics can often reach a similar goal with far less drilling. So when we plan dental crowns in Turkey, we only suggest a crown where a tooth needs one.
The dental crowns process in Turkey, step by step
Every plan is different. Even so, getting dental crowns in Turkey usually follows these stages, and your dentist will confirm the details for your case.
- 1
Share photos and X-rays
First, you send photos and any recent X-rays. Then a dentist prepares a provisional plan.
- 2
Examination in Istanbul
Next, your dentist checks your teeth, gums and bite in person. After that, they confirm or change the plan.
- 3
Treatment the tooth needs first
If a tooth has decay, infection or gum problems, your dentist usually treats that before the crown.
- 4
Shaping the tooth
Then your dentist shapes the tooth to make room for the crown and takes a scan or impression.
- 5
Temporary crown
Meanwhile, a temporary crown protects the tooth while a dental lab makes the final one.
- 6
Fitting the crown
Finally, your dentist removes the temporary crown, checks the fit and bite, and then cements the new crown.
In most cases, a crown takes two visits. However, some ceramic crowns can be made and fitted on the same day.
How long do crowns last?
Crowns can last many years if you look after them. Still, no crown lasts forever, and some will need repair or replacement over time.
A 2026 review of 64 studies and over 11,000 crowns found that about 90% to 98% were still in place after five years. Solid lithium disilicate crowns scored highest, while older feldspathic ceramic scored lowest.
In the same review, zirconia and lithium disilicate crowns did as well as metal-ceramic crowns. Also, solid crowns chipped far less than layered ones. In addition, another review found that crowns on teeth with a living nerve did best.
Risks and limits of crowns
Crowns are a well-studied treatment. Even so, problems can happen. In the research, for example, these were among the most common:
The porcelain layer can chip. Solid (monolithic) crowns chip less often than layered ones.
A crown can lose its grip. If it is intact, your dentist can often cement it back.
Shaping a tooth can harm its nerve. As a result, some teeth later need root canal treatment.
Plaque can build up where the crown meets the tooth. So daily cleaning and check-ups matter.
Shaping a tooth for a crown can't be undone, because tooth structure doesn't grow back. So, once a tooth has a crown, it will usually need one for life. This is why the reason for each crown matters so much.
What affects the cost of dental crowns in Turkey
We don't quote a price before seeing your teeth. Instead, your written plan lists the cost once your dentist knows what you need. In particular, these factors make the biggest difference:
In addition, travel, hotel and time off work add to the total. So when you compare quotes for dental crowns in Turkey, check what each one includes. For example, ask whether temporary crowns, repairs and follow-up are part of the price.
How many trips to Turkey for dental crowns?
Most patients plan one stay for dental crowns in Turkey. However, the length depends on the number of crowns, the material and any treatment you need first. For example, root canal treatment can add time. So your dentist confirms it once your plan is ready.
- Allow enough days for the lab work and the final fit
- Keep some spare time in case a step needs redoing
- Before you fly, gather your X-rays and a list of medicines
- Plan how check-ups will work when you're home
Also, tell your dentist at home about your plans. That way, they can help if a crown needs attention later.
Choosing a clinic for dental crowns in Turkey
Rules for dentists differ from country to country. For this reason, the UK General Dental Council advises you to check a few things before you commit to treatment abroad.
- A qualified dentist examines you before giving a final plan and cost
- You know who will treat you and what training they have
- Your plan explains why each tooth needs a crown
- The clinic explains aftercare, repairs and who pays if you need extra trips
- There is also a clear complaints process
At Looma Dent, one named dentist leads your treatment from the first photo to the final check. You can ask them anything before you book.
Questions to ask before you get a crown
Take this list to any consultation, because a good clinic will welcome every question.
Before you book dental crowns in Turkey, ask
- 1Why does this tooth need a crown rather than a filling or veneer?
- 2How much of the tooth will you remove?
- 3Does the tooth need root canal treatment first?
- 4Which material do you suggest for each tooth, and why?
- 5Who will treat me, and who makes the crowns?
- 6How many days do I need in Istanbul?
- 7What happens if a crown comes loose after I get home?
- 8What is included in the price, and what isn't?
Dental crowns in Turkey: frequently asked questions
Often they are crowns. In fact, UK dentists have warned that some treatments sold as "veneers" were full crowns, which need far more drilling. So ask for your plan tooth by tooth.
Your dentist numbs the tooth before shaping it, so most people feel pressure rather than pain. Afterwards, the tooth may feel sensitive for a short time.
A 2026 review found that about 90% to 98% of crowns lasted at least five years, depending on the material. Also, care, check-ups and grinding all make a difference.
Not always. Crowns often help protect root-filled back teeth. However, good trials are few, so your dentist decides based on how much tooth is left.
No. Whitening doesn't work on crowns, veneers or fillings. So, if you want whiter teeth overall, your dentist may suggest whitening before choosing your crown shade.
Yes. First, you can send photos and X-rays for a provisional plan. However, your dentist confirms the final plan only after examining you in person.
Sources and medical review
Medical review required before publication · Last content review 24 September 2026
- Pjetursson BE et al. Survival, failure and complication rates of metal-ceramic, veneered and monolithic all-ceramic tooth-supported single crowns: a systematic review and meta-analysis, Part 1 (2026)
- Sailer I et al. All-ceramic or metal-ceramic tooth-supported fixed dental prostheses? A systematic review of survival and complication rates. Part I: Single crowns (2015)
- Edelhoff D, Sorensen JA. Tooth structure removal associated with various preparation designs for anterior teeth (2002)
- Kontakiotis EG et al. A prospective study of the incidence of asymptomatic pulp necrosis following crown preparation (2015)
- Aquilino SA, Caplan DJ. Relationship between crown placement and the survival of endodontically treated teeth (2002)
- Sequeira-Byron P et al. Single crowns versus conventional fillings for the restoration of root-filled teeth, Cochrane review (2015)
- Patel SR et al. The tooth survival of non-surgical root-filled posterior teeth and prognostic factors: a systematic review and meta-analysis (2024)
- Hawthan M et al. Survival of fixed prosthetic restorations on vital and nonvital teeth: a systematic review (2024)
- Doughty J et al. Contemporary dental tourism: a review of reporting in the UK news media, British Dental Journal (2025)
- Oral Health Foundation. Crowns (checked 2026)
- NHS. Dental treatments (checked 2026)
- Oral Health Foundation. Tooth whitening (checked 2026)
- General Dental Council. Going abroad for dental treatment, patient guidance (checked 2026)
- NHS. Treatment abroad checklist (checked 2026)
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