Hi All,

I was wondering if anyone would care to share their stories on the advisability of dental crowns vs implants.

Some background - due to years of wear and tear, and an unfortunate incident biting into a chicken burger at a restaurant that will remain nameless - my front upper teeth look terrible.

One dentist who seems quite good suggested a full crown for my upper teeth. He is based in Switzerland.

He said that a porcelain crown, properly maintained, could last 10 to 15 years.

I have heard that implants last longer, but the treatment is more invasive and more expensive.

Has anyone out there had good experiences with dental crowns of this type? Are there comfort/discomfort issues? And with implants?

Any dental provider recommendations would also be welcome, if possible.

Thanks!
Kevin

If the root of the tooth is healthy and intact, a crown sounds fine. Only if the tooth is dead or has serious root problems, a complete removal and substitution with an implant is the way to go. Mind you, an implant is the last thing you can do before dentures.

In amy event, trust your doctor and not the internet. If you don't trust your doctor, find another one.

If a crown is possible I would choose that option as my first choice.

I have a ceramic crown I had done in Belgium over 20 years ago and it is still perfectly fine. It came loose once a good few years ago but the dentist here fixed it and said it should last a lot longer.

An implant is a much more invasive surgical solution. Significantly more expensive too, with bone reconstruction it can cost over 4k in Switzerland for one tooth.

If a crown is feasible, i.e. the root is ok, then just go for a crown. It can last a very long time.

What I've personally been wary of are the so called bridge-crowns, where they file nearby healthy teeth to put in a larger crown. In cases such as this, I'd go for an implant.

I have a number of crowns - three molars dating back almost 50 years. My Swiss dentist calls them "old school" as they are gold. Free of charge on the NHS!

More recently a Swiss-installed porcelain one has lasted over 20 years without any problem.

So no problem at all with crowns - reckon on CHF1700 + for each.

Front teeth are more difficult and gums receding from crowns. If your front teeth are a mess - get them fixed! Symphara is totally right on surgery and cost - but you get what you pay for...

I've got 2 crowns, one of which must be the better part of 50 years old and is still sitting fine.

Completely agree with everything said here - if the base of your tooth is fine, a crown is the simplest and least-invasive solution.

Of course, ask your dentist for professional advice (and don't hesitate to seek a second opinion if you have reason to doubt what your dentist says).

I recently had a complete smile makeover with 24 crowns, basically my entire mouth. I did go overseas for it because obviously that would be crazy expensive here in Switzerland, but I'm really pleased with my crowns:
https://www.englishforum.ch/3444330-post46.html

As others have said, crown all the way. I have 2 that are about 20 yrs old and going strong. Much less of a pain than implants and can always do implants later.

Was this deemed an accident? Because if so, your basic health insurance should cover it and they may have an opinion.

I have had one (my first) implant done this year. No pain whatsoever.

As your dentist suggests, go for the crown. It's a 3 visit procedure. The old tooth is cut away leaving a "stump" onto which the crown will go. An impression is taken, the crown made and fitted. After a week to 10 days you go back for a quick check that it's sitting properly etc. Can nowadays all be done at once but I prefer to wait a few days for any swelling to go before the crown is fitted.

With an implant, the whole tooth is removed and you then wait at least 3 months for the bone to heal. Sometimes artificial bone will be added and sometimes a sinus lift is needed.

When the bone has healed the dentist will cut into the gum, drill into the bone and fit the implant. It's then another 3 month wait for the bone to attach properly to the implant when a post is fitted, the impression taken, and then a crown fitted to the post.

Lemme tell you about implants. There are hundreds of systems on the market, and they are not compatible. Each requires proprietary supplies and tools. I just had a crown come off my 25+ year old implant, and no one can put it back onto the implant (which is in fine shape, as is the porcelain crown) because the "state of the art" back then is swamped by the new stuff. It would simply require a tiny setscrew, but no one knows what to order, what that esoteric system was in the late 1990s, or if it would even work if we had it. If the tooth root is still viable, get a crown.