A zirconia crown in Antalya costs £170 per tooth with us, against around £850 at a UK private practice. Most crown cases take five to seven days in Antalya over two appointments, and the price is fixed in writing before you fly.
That is the short version. The rest of this guide covers which crown goes on which tooth, what happens in the chair, who actually makes the crown, and the cases where we would tell you not to bother with the trip.
Who needs a crown and who is being sold one
A crown is a cap that covers the whole visible part of a tooth. It is the right answer when there is not enough tooth left to hold a filling, or when what is left is likely to crack.
A root-treated back tooth is the clearest case. The nerve is gone, the tooth is dry and brittle, and it is far more likely to fracture under chewing load. A crown holds it together. The same goes for a tooth with a large old filling and cracks running off it, or one that has already broken.
The case to be wary of is a healthy front tooth crowned to change its colour or shape. To fit a crown, the dentist removes a layer of tooth from every side, usually one to two millimetres. That cannot be put back. A healthy tooth that only needs to look whiter or straighter is usually better served by whitening, bonding or a veneer. If a clinic quotes you twenty crowns on teeth with nothing wrong with them, ask why each one needs a crown rather than something less destructive.
The crown materials on our Antalya price list
There are four crowns on the list. None of them is the best crown in general. Each is the best crown for a particular tooth.
| Crown | Antalya price | UK private | Best suited to | The trade-off |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zirconia | £170 | £850 | Back teeth, bridges, heavy biters | More opaque than enamel, so it can look flat on front teeth |
| E-max | £200 | £825 | Front teeth and premolars | Less tolerant of grinding than zirconia |
| Zircad Prime | £200 | £850 | Front teeth where strength matters too | Costs more than standard zirconia |
| Metal-porcelain | £100 | Back molars nobody sees | The metal edge can show as a grey line if the gum recedes |
Zirconia is what most people end up with on molars, because it is very hard to break. E-max is a glass ceramic that lets light through the way enamel does, which is why it looks more natural on an incisor. Zircad Prime is a layered zirconia that grades in colour from the neck of the tooth to the edge, so it sits between the two.
Metal-porcelain is the cheapest and the oldest design, and it is not the wrong choice on a lower molar. Its weakness is cosmetic. Our crowns page goes into each material in more detail, and the zirconia crowns page covers the most common one.
What the price per tooth covers
The crown price on your plan covers the preparation, the digital scan, the temporary crown you wear while the lab works, the try-in, the finished crown and fitting it. It is the same figure you see on our full Antalya price list, which updates from the same source.
What it does not cover is anything the tooth needs underneath. If the X-ray shows infection at the root, the tooth needs root canal treatment first, at £120. If too little tooth is left to hold the crown, a fibre post at £85 anchors a core for it to sit on. Both go on the written plan before you travel when the X-rays show them.
Flights and hotel are not in any treatment price. They come separately, or as part of a package if you choose one.
Where the plan can change once you are in the chair
The most common surprise is what sits under old work. When a fifteen-year-old crown comes off, there is sometimes decay underneath that no X-ray could show clearly through the metal or ceramic. If that decay has reached the nerve, the tooth needs a root canal before the new crown goes on.
The second is less talked about. Preparing a tooth for a crown is a shock to the nerve, and a small share of teeth that were fine beforehand go on to need a root canal later. Nobody can tell in advance which tooth that will be. It is one more reason not to crown teeth that do not need it.
Any change is priced from the same published list, and you should be shown the reason on the X-ray before anything is added. If a clinic adds items without that conversation, the prices are the least of its problems.
How a crown week in Antalya actually runs
Day one is the long appointment. The dentist takes X-rays, checks the plan against what they see, numbs the tooth and prepares it. You feel pressure and the vibration of the handpiece, not pain. A digital scanner records the prepared teeth, the shade is taken in daylight, and you leave with temporary crowns.
The next three to five days belong to the lab. You are free, though the temporaries are weaker than the real thing, so you avoid toffee, hard crusts and anything you would crack a nut with.
Then comes the try-in. The crowns go on without cement so you and the dentist can check the bite, the colour and how they sit at the gum. This is the point to say if something looks wrong. Once the crowns are cemented, changing them means cutting them off.
The final appointment is the fit. The bite is adjusted until nothing catches, and you fly home a day or two later. For a large case of ten or more crowns, allow the full seven days.
Who prepares the tooth and who makes the crown
Two people decide whether a crown lasts. The dentist shapes the tooth, and the quality of that preparation decides whether the crown edge seals cleanly at the gum. A poor margin is where decay gets in years later, and it is the most common reason a crown fails.
The second is the technician who builds the crown from the scan. Our partner clinic has its lab on site, which matters more than it sounds. The technician can come into the surgery, see your teeth in daylight and adjust the shade before the crown is finished. When the lab is across the city, or across the country, the try-in is often the first time anyone compares the crown with your mouth, and a remake can cost you days.
The clinic is licensed by the Turkish Ministry of Health. You meet the treating clinician on video before you book anything, not a coordinator.
When a crown trip to Antalya is not worth it
For one crown, the trip rarely pays for itself. Once you add flights, a hotel and a week away from work, the saving on a single tooth mostly disappears. If you can get an NHS appointment, a crown under Band 3 is a fixed charge that undercuts both us and UK private fees. The NHS problem is access and the wait, not the price.
The trip starts to make sense at three or four crowns, and it makes clear sense when crowns are part of a larger plan with implants or veneers. That is where the saving per tooth multiplies.
It also makes less sense if you have gum disease that has not been treated. A crown on a tooth with active gum disease is built on a weak foundation. Get the gums stable first, here or at home.
What happens after you fly home
Crowns carry a five-year guarantee, and aftercare is in the UK. A crown that comes loose or chips does not mean another flight to Antalya.
The rest is up to you. Crowns do not decay, but the tooth underneath can, right at the edge where crown meets tooth. Clean along the gum line, use floss or interdental brushes daily, and keep your six-monthly check-ups. If you grind your teeth, a night guard at £120 per jaw is the cheapest way to protect a set of ceramic crowns.
If you plan to whiten your natural teeth, do it before the crowns are made. Ceramic does not change colour, so the crowns are matched to whatever shade your teeth are on the day. Whitening afterwards leaves them darker than their neighbours.
Frequently asked questions
How long do I need in Antalya for crowns? Usually five to seven days. Crowns need two appointments a few days apart so the lab can make them, plus a try-in. Large cases or teeth that need a root canal first take the longer end of that.
Do crowns hurt? The tooth is numbed, so you feel pressure and vibration rather than pain. Some sensitivity to cold for a few days afterwards is normal. Sensitivity that gets worse rather than better needs checking.
Which crown is best for front teeth? Usually E-max or Zircad Prime, because they let light through the way enamel does. Zirconia is stronger but more opaque, so it can look slightly flat next to natural front teeth.
Can I have crowns on healthy teeth? You can, but you should know what it costs the tooth. Preparation removes a layer from every side and it cannot be undone. For a healthy tooth that only needs a cosmetic change, a veneer or bonding takes far less.
Is the crown price per tooth or for the whole mouth? Per tooth. A bridge is priced per unit, so a three-unit bridge is three crowns. Any root canal, post or extraction is a separate line on your plan.
What if a crown comes off once I am back in the UK? Keep the crown and contact us. Crowns are covered by a five-year guarantee and aftercare is arranged in the UK, so it can usually be re-cemented without a trip back.
