Dental crowns

A crown restores a broken, heavily filled or root-treated tooth and lasts 10–15 years. At Laurus Dent plus a crown costs 190–850 EUR depending on the material: metal-ceramic 370, zirconia or E-max 600, a crown on an implant 850 EUR; two visits over 2–3 weeks, temporary crown included. Treatment in English. Book: +371 22428688.

When a tooth needs a crown

• the tooth is broken or so heavily filled that a new filling will not hold – a crown holds the remaining tooth together;
• after root canal treatment on a chewing tooth – a tooth without a nerve is brittle and a crown stops it cracking;
• the tooth is badly worn, cracked or has a large defect;
• you are unhappy with the shape or colour of a front tooth and a filling cannot fix it;
• on an implant – the crown replaces the whole tooth;
• as a bridge abutment when a missing neighbour has to be replaced.

If only part of the tooth is damaged, a zirconia inlay or onlay (500 EUR) is often enough instead of a crown and keeps more of your own tooth.

Types of crowns and which to choose

Zirconia crown – 600 EUR

The strongest metal-free option: monolithic zirconium oxide, suitable for any tooth, for bridges and for patients who grind. Natural colour with no dark line at the gum. The first choice for chewing teeth when you want both strength and looks.

Ceramic-zirconia crown – 660 EUR

A zirconia core with a ceramic layer: zirconia strength plus ceramic translucency. For front teeth under heavy load and cases where the crown has to match the neighbouring natural teeth in every detail.

Pressed ceramic E-max crown – 600 EUR

Lithium disilicate ceramic, the most natural-looking material; it transmits light like a real tooth. For front teeth and premolars; for heavily loaded molars zirconia is the better choice.

Metal-ceramic crown – 370 EUR

A metal core with a ceramic coating: proven, very strong and less expensive. For chewing teeth and bridges that do not show when you smile. The drawback is a dark line that can appear at the gum over time.

Cast crown with plastic facet – 190 EUR

The economy option for back teeth or as a long-term temporary. It lasts less than ceramic and the plastic discolours with time.

Crown on an implant – 850 EUR

A full-anatomy zirconia crown fixed on an implant (Straumann, 750 EUR). It replaces the whole tooth and the neighbours are not ground down.

How a crown is placed

1. Consultation and X-ray (20–40 + 10–15 EUR). The dentist checks that the tooth is sound, whether a root canal is needed, and recommends a material with its price.
2. Preparation and impressions – a 60–90 minute visit under anaesthesia: the tooth is shaped to the crown's thickness, impressions or a scan are taken, the shade chosen.
3. Temporary crown while the laboratory works – the tooth is protected and looks normal.
4. Laboratory – 7–14 days.
5. Fitting and cementation – we check bite, contacts and colour, then cement the crown. An implant crown is screwed or cemented onto the abutment.
6. Check-up after 1–2 weeks.

Visitors from abroad: preparation and fitting are two visits a week or two apart, or both within one longer stay.

How long a crown lasts and how to care for it

Zirconia and metal-ceramic crowns last 10–15 years, often longer; E-max 10–15 years on front teeth. Night grinding (a night guard helps), very hard food and plaque at the crown margin shorten that. Care is the same as for your own tooth: brush twice a day, floss or an interdental brush at the margin, a hygiene visit every 6 months. The tooth under the crown is protected; decay can only start at the margin if plaque collects there.

Why have your crown made at Laurus Dent plus

• The price is known before work starts and matches the price list: 190–850 EUR depending on material, impressions, laboratory and cementation included.
• Seven materials, from economy to E-max and zirconia; the dentist explains which suits your tooth, not the most expensive one.
• Everything under one roof: root canals, implants and hygiene before the crown in the same clinic.
• We treat in English, Latvian, Russian and Ukrainian.
• Central Riga, Lastādijas iela 12-k-1, 10 minutes from the Old Town, with parking.

See also: dental prosthetics – bridges and dentures · removable dentures · all prices.