All-ceramic crowns
Porcelain Crowns in Turkey
Porcelain crowns are tooth-coloured caps made entirely of ceramic, with no metal inside, that cover a damaged tooth above the gum. Some ceramics look more natural, while others are stronger. So the right material depends on the tooth and your bite, and a dentist confirms your plan only after examining you in person.
At a glance
- Materials
- Glass-ceramics, such as feldspathic, leucite or lithium disilicate, and zirconia
- Metal inside
- None, unlike metal-ceramic crowns
- Tooth removed
- About 63% to 72% of the tooth above the gum in one lab study
- Visits
- Usually two: prepare, then fit
- Survival in a 2026 review
- 90.4% to 98.5% at 5 years, by material
- Main trade-off
- Natural look versus strength
These figures come from research reviews rather than from any one clinic. Your dentist confirms your plan after an in-person examination.
How porcelain crowns work
A crown is a custom-made cover that fits over a tooth and restores its shape, strength and look. First, your dentist shapes the tooth to make room. Then a dental laboratory makes the crown, and your dentist cements it in place.
Porcelain crowns are all-ceramic, so they contain no metal. By contrast, a metal-ceramic crown has a strong metal base under a layer of tooth-coloured porcelain. For this reason, many people call metal-ceramic crowns porcelain fused to metal.
In fact, porcelain is a family of ceramics rather than one material. Glass-ceramics, such as feldspathic, leucite and lithium disilicate, let light pass through much like enamel. Zirconia is a dense ceramic without glass, and it is the strongest dental ceramic. However, it tends to look less lifelike.
A crown also needs more tooth removed than a veneer. In one laboratory study, crown preparations removed about 63% to 72% of the tooth above the gum. Since that tissue does not grow back, a crown is a long-term choice.
- 1
The ceramic crown
In short, one ceramic shell that covers the whole tooth above the gum. It may be one solid block or a strong core with porcelain layered on top.
- 2
The prepared tooth
First, your dentist trims the tooth on all sides, so the crown fits without feeling bulky.
- 3
The cement layer
Then your dentist fixes the crown with dental cement. After that, you cannot remove it yourself.
When porcelain crowns may suit you
Suitability is individual. A dentist weighs these points after examining your teeth, gums and bite, so treat them as a guide rather than a checklist.
Your dentist may suggest a crown if
A different plan may be safer if
Porcelain crowns compared with metal-ceramic
Each option has a place. However, reviews pool many studies, so treat these figures as a rough guide. The survival figures come from one 2026 review of crowns on natural teeth.
Your porcelain crowns journey
Porcelain crowns usually need two visits: one to prepare the tooth and one to fit the crown. Your dentist will confirm how many days you need in Istanbul.
- 1Online
Remote review
First, you send photos of your teeth and any recent X-rays. Then a dentist explains whether a crown, a filling or another option looks suitable.
- 2Visit 1
Examination and planning
When you arrive, your dentist checks your teeth, gums and bite. Next, you agree on the material and shade together, and the plan becomes final.
- 3Visit 1
Preparation and scans
After that, your dentist shapes the tooth and takes an impression or a digital scan. Meanwhile, a temporary crown protects the tooth.
- 4In the lab
Making the crown
A technician then makes the crown to fit your tooth. Some ceramic crowns can even be made and fitted on the same day.
- 5Visit 2
Fitting
At the second visit, your dentist removes the temporary crown and checks the fit and comfort. Then they cement the new crown in place.
- 6At home
Regular check-ups
Afterwards, see a dentist for regular check-ups, ideally close to home. Your dentist can also give you an idea of how long the crown should last.
Living with porcelain crowns
Daily cleaning
First, brush for two minutes twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste. Also clean between your teeth once a day, because the edge of a crown still needs care.
Hard foods
Also avoid biting very hard things, such as ice. Ceramic can chip or crack, so tell your dentist early if a crown feels rough or sharp.
Opposing teeth
A crown bites against your natural teeth. In reviews, lithium disilicate caused minimal wear, similar to natural teeth, when its surface was well polished.
Check-ups
In addition, regular visits help your dentist spot problems early. So keep seeing a dental team near home after treatment.
Risks of porcelain crowns
Porcelain crowns do well in studies. For example, a 2026 review of 64 studies found that 5-year survival for lithium disilicate and zirconia crowns was comparable to metal-ceramic crowns. Still, survival varied by material, from 98.5% for solid lithium disilicate to 90.4% for feldspathic crowns.
Position in the mouth also matters. In one review, front crowns were about half as likely to fail as back crowns. Even so, the real gap was only about 3%.
Feldspathic crowns had lower survival in two large reviews, especially on back teeth. For this reason, the authors advised keeping them for front teeth.
Some crowns have a strong core with porcelain layered on top. In a 2026 review, solid lithium disilicate and solid zirconia crowns chipped much less than layered ones.
In a 2015 review, all-ceramic crowns had more fractures of the core, or framework, than metal-ceramic crowns over 5 years.
The same review also found that zirconia crowns came loose more often than metal-ceramic crowns. So tell your dentist soon if a crown feels loose.
A crown needs much more tooth removed than a veneer. Therefore, ask whether a smaller treatment could work for a healthy tooth.
Zirconia tends to look less lifelike than glass-ceramic. So agree on the material and shade before your dentist prepares the tooth.
What your porcelain crowns plan should answer
Ask any clinic, including us, for clear written answers before you book.
- 1Why does this tooth need a crown, and could a filling work?
- 2Which ceramic will you use, and why for this tooth?
- 3Will the crown be one solid block or layered?
- 4How much of the tooth will you remove, and why?
- 5Can I see and agree the shade before you make the crown?
- 6If I travel, how many visits and days in Istanbul will I need?
- 7What is covered if a crown chips or comes loose?
Porcelain crowns: your questions
Not quite. In everyday use, porcelain is a broad word for dental ceramics, and zirconia is one of them. It is the strongest, while glass-ceramics usually look more natural.
It depends on the ceramic. In a 2026 review, lithium disilicate and zirconia did well on front and back teeth. However, feldspathic crowns did less well at the back.
In a 2026 review, 90.4% to 98.5% were still in place after 5 years, depending on the material. Crowns can last many years with good care, although nobody can promise a lifetime.
Not always. Reviews found that lithium disilicate and zirconia crowns survived about as well as metal-ceramic ones at 5 years. Meanwhile, all-ceramic crowns contain no metal at all.
Yes, ceramic can chip or crack. In a large review, crowns made from one solid block chipped less often than crowns with porcelain layered on top.
Usually two. At the first, your dentist prepares the tooth and fits a temporary crown. Then you return to have the final crown fitted. Your dentist will confirm how long to stay in Istanbul.
Related guides
Medical review required before publication · General information only; it does not replace an examination, diagnosis or personalised treatment plan.
- 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 the survival and complication rates. Part I: single crowns (2015)
- Pjetursson BE et al. Survival and complication rates of all-ceramic and metal-ceramic reconstructions after at least 3 years. Part I: single crowns (2007)
- Kassardjian V et al. A systematic review and meta analysis of the longevity of anterior and posterior all-ceramic crowns (2016)
- Laumbacher H et al. Clinical outcomes and complications of tooth- and implant-supported lithium (di)silicate based single crowns: an overview of systematic reviews (2025)
- Edelhoff D, Sorensen JA. Tooth structure removal associated with various preparation designs for anterior teeth (2002)
- Zhang Y, Lawn BR. Novel zirconia materials in dentistry (2018)
- Fathy SM et al. Flexural strength and translucency characterization of aesthetic monolithic zirconia and relevance to clinical indications: a systematic review (2021)
- Oral Health Foundation. Crowns (updated 2026)
Are porcelain
crowns right
for you?
Send a few clear photos of your teeth and any recent X-rays. A dentist will then review them and explain whether porcelain crowns, another crown type or a smaller treatment looks suitable. Your plan stays provisional until you're examined in person.