Many patients seek an alternative to dental crown while looking for dental restoration or after a root canal. A temporary crown or cap is the most preferred and effective dental approach to repair a damaged tooth. There may be different reasons for a patient looking for an alternative to a dental crown. This includes a person’s budget, the severity of tooth damage, general fear of dental procedures, etc.
For many people, budget is the main concern. Due to that, they look for a cheaper alternative to dental crown. If for whatever reason, you don’t want a dental crown, there are many alternate options to choose from but it is best you consult your dentist first. Together you’ll be able to pick the right one for you.
In this article, we will discuss different yet cheaper alternatives to dental crowns.
What is the alternative to a dental crown?
If you’re looking for an alternative to a dental crown, probably you don’t like the idea of this procedure because it alters the natural teeth. In other cases, you are not ready for the expenses related to a dental crown or want a cheaper dental crown. If you’re looking for a cheaper alternative you may want to take a look at prices for crown procedure in Turkey. But if you’re not ready for a permanent crown or a traditional crown, your choice of treatment include different solutions. here are a few alternative dental solutions dentists usually recommend in cases like yours.
The best alternative to dental crown are:
- Onlays
- Inlays
- Temporary Composite Fillings
- Tooth Extraction
Dental Onlays
In case a dental crown is not your first choice or your dental insurance doesn’t cover it and you are looking for something cost-effective, an onlay can be chosen as a cheaper alternative to dental crown providing a more definitive treatment. The process involves removing the damaged part of your tooth and covering it with custom‐made filling made from silver/gold or porcelain.
On lays is one of the types of restorations placed on the cusps of your teeth after the dentist drills and gets rid of the damaged part of the tooth. In simple words, it covers the entire top surface of a natural tooth structure.
It is a completely safe option and the best part is that this is least invasive procedure compared to crowns. When a crown is placed, most of the part of your original tooth is also removed in order to make enough space for the crown. When an onlay is placed, only a limited part of your tooth is removed to get rid of the decay. The same part is sealed with a restorative filling material such as composite resin or amalgam (gold or silver).
On lays are available in various materials and each material varies in terms of price and durability.
Dental Inlays
Dentists can interchange a crown with an inlay or an onlay based on the situation of your tooth. If the cavity hasn’t infected the entire upper part of your tooth, then chances are that your dentist might recommend putting an inlay on the affected area. Inlay also is a relatively cheaper alternative to dental crown because the procedure is short and less invasive.
Similar to an onlay, inlays are also created using custom-made fillings or composite materials in order to cover the middle-upper part of your tooth. Materials mostly used for inlays include porcelain/ceramic, gold, composite resin.
It is an ideal choice for people wanting a less invasive procedure.
Temporary Composite Fillings
A composite filling is the easiest, less time-consuming restoration of your weak tooth following a tooth decay situation. It is a short-term solution that brings back the damaged entire tooth to its original shape and structure. They are also referred to as indirect Resin Crowns. However, they should not be considered a long-term solution.
Temporary or short-term composite fillings are made of less efficient materials such as resin, glass ionomer, amalgam etc.
Short-term composite fillings are prone to fractures, chipping off, causing further decay, destroying tooth enamel, infecting surrounding gums and teeth.
The rapid advancement in dental technology has made the process of getting composite fillings much easier nowadays. These days you can get assessed by your dentist and receive your filling on the same day, so in case you want a rapid solution to your dental pain, a composite filling might be the ideal choice for you.
Tooth Extraction
Most dentists advise against it and consider it as the last resort in order to have healthy teeth. Tooth extraction is a very cheap alternative to dental crown but it can cause long-term damage to your teeth and jaw bone. Therefore, it should be taken as the very last treatment option since it is by far one of the most invasive treatments.
If the empty space is not filled with some form of dental restoration such as an implant, crown or veneer, dental bridge, the rest of your teeth are exposed to cavities, infections, fractures, and in extreme cases breakage.
Therefore, you should think hard before opting for tooth extraction as it poses many future risks and problems.
| Procedures | Fee range | Fees in Turkey | Durability |
| Crowns | 300$ to $2500 | 100$ to 250$ | 1 to 10 years |
| Onlay | 650$ to 1200$ per tooth | 30$ to 70$ | 10 to 12 years |
| Inlay | 650$ to 1200$ per tooth | 30$ to 60$ | 10 to 12 years |
| Composite Tooth Fillings | 30 to 40$ per tooth | 30$ to 50$ | 1 year to 5 years |
| Tooth Extraction | 75$ to 200$ per tooth | 30$ to 50$ | – |
What to consider before looking for an alternative to dental crown?
There are a number of factors you should consider before choosing a cheaper alternative to dental crown. The factors include your price preference, the situation of your dental health, accessibility, pros and cons of the alternative options.
Before reaching a conclusion, make sure you do a SWOT analysis of the alternative options available to you. For instance, if you choose to go for an inlay, make sure you are aware of its advantages and disadvantages in the short/long term.
If you get an inlay or onlay, you should know that they are not as strong as a crown because they tend to wear off in a few months rather than lasting for years.
Similarly, you can consider the advantages and disadvantages of other tooth material used in alternative dental restorations other than a crown. For example, inlay or onlays are sometimes made from cheap materials such as composite resin that tends to wear off in just a year if oral hygiene and proper dental care is not maintained.
What if you want a cheaper alternative to crowns?
The first most important factor to think about when you are looking for a dental crown alternative is your budget. There are a number of options available for direct or indirect tooth restorations following tooth damage or decay.
Different countries offer varying prices and Turkey happens to be one of the affordable locations for dental work.
Turkey has emerged as one of the most sought-after destinations for medical tourism, particularly for dental treatment. Turkey has come a long way in dental technology and you can find the most modern and well-equipped dental clinics in the world in Istanbul.
If budget is a problem, you could find Turkey’s prices very convenient and learn you can actually afford the best quality of treatment you deserve. The convenient price doesn’t affect quality and you’ll get the highest quality service.
What is the best option for your teeth?
In order to really determine what cheap alternative to a dental crown would be suitable for you, a thorough dental assessment should be the first step. Therefore, visiting a qualified dentist should be your top priority to find the right alternatives to crowns. Just a doctor can analyze your situation and tell you what you need and what’s best for you.
You can get in touch with us and get a free consultation to discuss your situation and our team of dentists will offer you solutions well-suited to your budget and dental needs.
When you shouldn’t consider an alternative to dental crown?
A dental crown is necessary when there is a considerable amount of damage or decay present on one of your teeth and in extreme cases, the decay has penetrated into the nerve under the tooth.
Sometimes a full-coverage crown is needed for cosmetic reasons but in such cases it is an option, not a necessity. You can choose from an array of types of crown.
These reasons include a chipped or cracked tooth, complete loss of tooth due to severe damage or decay. A missing tooth or broken teeth first require a dental implant and to protect the implant from damage, a gold crown or any other crown material is placed on it.
More often than not, dental crowns are used to protect your teeth from future problems and to restore your oral health. In cases of severe damage, they become a necessity and you can no longer avoid them.