All 36 Clinics that provide Crown in Laois County

Crowns tend to be quite expensive and therefore individuals are increasingly looking to other destinations to cut down the cost.  In addition there have been several advances in the field with newer porcelain crowns offering a better cosmetic appearance and only requiring a single visit.

What are Dental Crowns?

A crown is a cap that typically completely covers a single tooth and adds strength, stability and durability to an otherwise weakened structure. It can be made out of gold or ceramic and is typically fitted by a dentist in one or two visits. Crowns tend to be expensive with US pricing ranging from $600 to $3,000 dollar and are therefore one of the more common treatment sought by dental tourists.

You might need a crown if:

• If a lot of your tooth has decayed and there isn't enough tooth structure to fill in the same way that small cavities are filled
• A large section of your tooth has fractured off
• You have a large cavity and are opting for the addition protection that a crown offers against fracture and decay
• You have implants and are opting for crowns to be fitted
• If you have had a root canal on one of your rear teeth then a crown is typically required to strengthen the tooth
• If you want a better smile but veneers/implants are not appropriate
• Grinding or acid erosion has significantly reduced the tooth

What is the procedure like?

The tooth in question needs to be prepared by stripping off the entire top covering (enamel) of the tooth where the crown is to be fitted. It should be noted that this process is not reversible.  From this point on, the procedure differs greatly according to the type of crown being fitted. In the instance of gold crowns, a mould is taken and sent to a laboratory so that the crown can be manufactured. This can take anywhere from days to weeks, so a second visit is required for the crown to be fitted. Your dentist should supply you with a temporary crown or ‘flipper’ for you to wear in the interim. Certain ceramic crowns can be made in the dentist’s surgery and fitted in a single visit.

What different types exist?

Full gold crowns – Although called full gold these are normally an alloy of various metals. Check with your dentist that the ‘gold’ they are using contains at least 75% noble metal. Gold crowns are typically made by taking a wax impression and having the crown fabricated in a laboratory and then fitted in a latter visit.  As gold crowns require at least two visits to a dentist, many dental tourist opt for ceramic varieties, however it should be noted that many dentist still regard full gold crowns as being superior in the long terms.

Porcelain fused to Metal Crowns – In order to achieve a more natural look on visible teeth, porcelain can be fused to metal crowns.  This is a different process to full gold crowns as more of the original tooth needs to be removed in order to make space for the porcelain. Although gold can be used normally, a different metal alloy is used because of the intense heat of the fabrication process. The latest and most expensive material used is circoniumoxide.  

Porcelain Crowns - There are two main types of porcelain crown. The traditional variety is felspathic and is created in a lab making porcelain. The newer type is created by a single ingot and can be created by specialised equipment in the dentist’s surgery.  This makes porcelain crowns particularly attractive to the dental tourist as they can be completed in a single visit.

Procera (Alumina or zironia) – Procera AllCeram is a brand name for natural looking crown created by covering a alumina or zironia core with ceramic.  The crown is created by computer- aided manufacturing rather than the traditional casting process. Studies by Procera have shown a very high success rate over 5 and 10 years.

CERAC – Is the current leader in computer aided crown manufacture in the US. The crown is created out of ceramic and rather than being fabricated in a laboratory, it is build in specialized (and expensive) equipment in the Dentist’s surgery. This can result in crowns being fitted in a single visit.

What affects the price?

There are a huge number of factors that determine the price. It is important when you are comparing prices, you are comparing like with like.  Look for details like:

• The type of crown you are getting
• Is a pin required to anchor the crown?
• Is root canal work required?
• Additional work that may need to be performed

Price Comparison

Price lists should always be viewed with caution as many factors can increase or decrease the resulting price. The follow table gives some indicative costs for crowns across the world:

A guide to dentistry in Ireland

Ireland's economy has experienced a breathless rise from Western Europe's poorest nation to the top of the world's wealth indicators. Over 30 years of E.U. membership has helped shape Ireland's health system into a modern and highly regulated model of good practice.

Interest from Irish patients have increased substantially for dentistry in neighbouring Northern Ireland where dental treatments cost less than in the Republic.

Benefits of Irish Dentistry

Regular checkups are a vital part of good oral healthcare and a local dentist is by far the best choice. A trusting relationship with your local dentist has immense benefits: Dental emergencies can be dealt with by a healthcare professional who knows your medical history inside out. Even for more expensive treatments the value of this close working knowledge can far outweigh price considerations, ensuring an ongoing beneficial, oral regimen.

Dentists in Ireland - Qualifications

Ireland has 2 dental colleges with an addtional college offering specialty training. The course is 5 years, followed by 1 year of vocational training. Successful graduates are awarded a Bachelor of Dental Surgery or Bachelor of Dental Science.

There are two recognized specialties: Oral surgery and Orthodontics.

There is no mandatory continuing education but its practice is strongly recommended by all professional associations and the Dental Council. Courses in Prosthodontics, Orthodontics, Paediatric Dentistry, Periodontics and Oral Surgery are among the continuing education options available in the country's dental schools.

Dentists in Ireland - Additional Information

Organizations

The Dental Council is the statuatory organization responsible for dentistry in Ireland. It oversees the standard of dental education and dentistry in general. The Council holds a registry of all those permitted to perform dentistry within the state: Registration is mandatory.

There are a number of professional associations covering the dental sector workers. Over 80% of Ireland's dentists are members of the Irish Dental Association. The association in its present form is over 80 years old and with its historic beginnings in the British Dental Assocation is one of the worlds oldest established dental associations.

Dental Ethics

Irish dentists are required by the 1985 Dental Act to: Safeguard the health of patients; promote oral health within the population and maintain the highest ethical standards with the profession. To these ends dentists must not overcharge, recommend unnessecary or damaging proceedures, create false expectation or in any way mislead their patients.

The ethical guidelines follow and expand upon those issued by the Council of Euopean Dentists, which define the core ethical values of European dentistry.

Complaints

The Dental Council has the power to deal with complaints against registered dentists. It can issue warnings, fines, suspend or remove a dentist from the dental register. Patients may also take direct action through the civil courts.

Data Protection

Ireland has a Data Protection Commissioner and a number of acts covering the protection and accessibility of personal data. A comprehensive website gives all information relative to data protection - see the resources section below.

Dentists in Ireland:

Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Galway, Waterford, Dundalk, Drogheda, Bray

Resources

The Dental Council
7 Merrion Square,
Dublin 2,
Dublin,
Ireland.
tel: +353 1 676 2069
fax: +353 1 676 2076
email: info@dentalcouncil.ie
website: www.dentalcouncil.ie
ethical code: www.dentalcouncil.ie/g_dentalethics.php

Irish Dental Association
Irish Dental Association Ltd.
Unit 2, Leopardstown Office Park
Sandyford,
Dublin 18,
Ireland.
tel: +353 1 295 0072
fax: +353 1 295 0092
email: info@irishdentalassoc.ie
website: www.dentist.ie

Data Data Protection Commissioner
Canal House,
Station Road,
Portarlington,
Co. Laois,
Ireland.
tel: 1890 252 231 (lo call - inside Ireland only), +353 57 868 4800 (for outside Ireland)
fax: +353 57 868 4757
email: info@dataprotection.ie
website: www.dataprotection.ie

The biggest choice of crown clinics in Laois County with Prices, Patient Reviews, Maps. Everything you need to find the best crown for you in Laois County.