On this page
Introduction
Plenty of patients search for "teeth caps" and get answers about "crowns". It is the same treatment; only the vocabulary differs.
TLDR;
- Tooth cap = dental crown. There is no clinical difference.
- A crown covers the whole tooth; a veneer covers only the front face.
- Monolithic zirconia is strongest; e.max looks more natural at the front.
- Crowns remove tooth tissue, and that is irreversible.
- Treatment usually finishes within one 5–7 day trip to Tirana.
- A twenty-crown plan for purely cosmetic reasons should be questioned.
When you actually need a crown
After root canal treatment, when a tooth has fractured, when the filling is larger than the remaining tooth, or on top of an implant. In those cases a veneer is not enough because it does not protect the tooth against biting forces.
The materials
Monolithic zirconia is the default for back teeth: fracture resistant and suited to heavy bites. E.max (lithium disilicate) gives more natural translucency on front teeth. Metal-ceramic is used less and less, because gum recession exposes a grey line at the neck.
Crown or veneer
If the tooth is healthy and the issue is only shade or shape, a veneer preserves far more tooth tissue. If the tooth is weakened, a crown is the right call. A clinic proposing crowns across a whole arch of healthy teeth is over-treating you.
The single-trip timeline
Day 1: examination, radiographs and treatment plan. Days 2–3: preparation, digital scanning and temporaries. Days 4–6: try-in, bite adjustment and final cementation.
Guarantees
Ask in writing for the material brand, the laboratory used and the length of the guarantee. We send all three with the treatment plan.