Alternative to Dental Crowns

Alternative to Dental Crowns

For people who have issues with damaged, weak or discoloured teeth, the search for a solution can be long and stressful, and the appearance of their smile is often a depressing reminder of those issues. For many people, the solution to any of the above problems can be to have the tooth covered – more or less replaced – with a dental crown.

Could a dental crown be the solution for you?

To answer the above question, we first need to know what a tooth crown actually is. It can best be described as a tooth-shaped cover, made from metal or a porcelain-metal blend, which fits directly over a damaged or discoloured tooth. Its purpose is to act as a tooth in all the important ways; cosmetically and practically, it sits in for a real tooth.

Who is a suitable candidate for a dental crown?

People who might benefit from a tooth crown include anyone who fits into the groups below.

  • Someone who wants to improve the appearance, shape or alignment of an existing tooth or teeth.
  • Someone with teeth that are cracked, worn down, or otherwise weakened.
  • Someone with severely discoloured teeth, or teeth that are in any way visibly damaged.
  • Someone with weakened teeth that affect the strength of their bite.

Are dental crowns affordable and worth the money?

Dental crowns will cost different amounts depending on where you get them. An NHS fitting will cost you approximately £270 per tooth, but will involve a long waiting period and give you little or no choice in the kind of crown you get. For private treatment with a shorter turnaround and more choice in the finished product, you can expect that cost to rise somewhere closer to the £1000 mark by the time you leave the dentist’s surgery. Whatever you pay, you’ll also experience considerable physical discomfort as the crown settles in. This can go on for some time, so it’s hard to say it’s worth what you’ll pay.

Is there any alternative option to a dental crown?

An alternative which is gaining a lot of attention is arising in the shape of clip-on veneers, which have emerged in recent years as a more convenient, straightforward option.

Alpha Veneers provide Regular Veneers and Occational Veneers – click here to check our pricing