A cracked tooth, a big filling that keeps breaking, or a tooth that has just had a root canal and now needs protecting. We prepare and fit dental crowns in Islamabad at our clinic in F-10 Markaz, and we name the material in writing before we touch the tooth, because the material is what you are actually paying for.
Why zirconia crowns break, explained by Dr Kiran Haseeb, BDS.
A dental crown is a cap that covers the whole visible part of a tooth and takes the biting force off it. Where a white filling repairs one part of a tooth, a crown rebuilds and protects all of it, which is why we recommend one for a tooth that is cracked, heavily filled or structurally weak.
The most common reason we crown a tooth is that it has had root canal treatment. Once the nerve is removed the tooth is drier and more brittle, and a back tooth left without a crown after a root canal is far more likely to split. We also fit crowns on top of dental implants, and two crowns either side of a gap carry a fixed bridge.
The American Dental Association describes a crown as a cap that restores a tooth’s shape, size and strength and improves how it looks (ADA MouthHealthy on crowns). The part that decides how long it lasts is one most patients never see: the margin, the join between the crown and the tooth.
At our clinic in F-10 Markaz, Dr Kiran plans all our dental crowns in Islamabad from an x-ray, and chooses the material for the job the tooth does: zirconia where the bite is heavy, E-max where the tooth shows when you smile. We check the margin on the x-ray again before the crown is cemented, not after.
Two, about a week to ten days apart
Local, for the preparation visit
Zirconia, E-max, or metal ceramic if you choose it
Ten to fifteen years on average, often longer
The same day, careful chewing for 24 hours
Layer 1
Your own tooth, shaped down by a measured amount so the crown has room. How much we remove depends on the material, which is one reason we decide the material before preparation and not after.
Layer 2
Where a lot of tooth is missing, we rebuild the foundation first with a build-up or a post and core. A crown cemented onto a weak core fails from underneath, and that failure usually gets blamed on the crown.
Layer 3
The ceramic cap itself, shade matched to the teeth beside it. We adjust it until the bite meets evenly before we cement it, because a high crown overloads both the crown and the tooth.
The right material depends on where the tooth sits, how hard you bite and whether it shows when you smile. We explain the choice for your tooth at the consultation, and all three are made from the same impression. Full gold crowns still exist and last very well on back teeth, but very few of our patients choose them today because of how they look.
Strongest
Our standard for back teeth and for anyone who grinds. Very high fracture resistance, less tooth removed than metal ceramic, and layered zirconia now looks convincing even at the front of the mouth.
Most natural
Lithium disilicate ceramic, our choice where the tooth shows. It lets light through the way enamel does, so it does not look like a flat white block beside your natural teeth. Strong enough for front teeth and premolars.
Traditional
Porcelain baked over a metal frame. Durable and long established, but the metal can show as a grey line at the gum as the gum recedes over the years, so we now suggest it selectively and explain the trade off first.
Every crown quote you get in Islamabad should name one of these. This is the table we go through with patients before preparing a tooth, so you can see what the price difference between them actually buys.
| Zirconia | E-max | Metal ceramic | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Strength | Highest | High | High, but the porcelain layer can chip |
| Looks | Very good, best when layered | Closest to natural enamel | Good at first, can show a grey line later |
| Tooth removed | Least | Moderate | Most |
| Metal inside | None | None | Yes |
| Best for | Back teeth, grinders, bridges | Front teeth and premolars | Where cost matters most and the margin is hidden |
| If it chips | Rarely chips; replaced if it does | Small chips can be polished | Small chips repaired, large ones replaced |
| Cost at the start | Middle to high | High | Lowest of the three |
Whatever material you choose, the crown only lasts if the margin is sealed and the bite is right. Those two things depend on the dentist and the laboratory, not on the material, which is why we check both on every crown.
The price of dental crowns in Islamabad varies more than almost any other treatment, and nearly all of the difference is the material and the laboratory. We quote in writing after the examination and x-ray, naming the material, because a crown quoted without a named material cannot be compared with anything.
Zirconia and E-max cost more than metal ceramic, and all three cost more than an unnamed ceramic. The material is the product you are buying, so we put it in the quote in writing.
A tooth broken down to the gum needs a build-up, sometimes a post and core, and occasionally a root canal first before a crown is possible. We quote that work as its own line rather than discovering it halfway through.
A laboratory where a ceramist layers the porcelain by hand costs more than a mass produced unit, and the difference shows at the margin and in the shade. We tell you who makes yours.
A single crown is one unit. A bridge over a gap spans several, and a full mouth rehabilitation is planned and quoted as one case rather than tooth by tooth.
Yes, when the preparation is measured and the margin is sealed. A crown is the treatment that keeps a cracked tooth in your mouth, and the alternative to crowning a split tooth is usually removing the tooth.
The honest caveats: preparation cannot be undone, so a tooth that is crowned stays crowned for life. Some teeth are sensitive for a few weeks afterwards, and a small number need root canal treatment later because the nerve was already inflamed under an old filling. We judge that risk on the x-ray before we prepare the tooth.
Patients with a known metal allergy, or who simply prefer no metal in their mouth, are well served by modern crowns. Zirconia and E-max are both metal free, and when we need to rebuild the core under the crown we use tooth coloured materials, so a crown from our clinic can be completely free of metal if you ask for it.
The margin is where crowns succeed or fail. Plaque collecting at a rough or open margin causes decay under the crown and inflamed gums around it, which is why we check the fit before cementing and again at every check-up afterwards.
Not every damaged tooth needs a crown. Where enough sound tooth is left, an inlay, an onlay or a bonded filling keeps more of your own tooth, and we will say so. You will know which group your tooth is in after the examination and x-ray, before anything is cut.
If an onlay will do the job, we will offer you the onlay. It keeps more of your tooth, and in ten years the tooth with more of itself left is the one still standing. Equally, if a crown is the only thing that will hold a cracked tooth together, we will not offer a large filling just because it is cheaper today.
A crown normally takes two appointments about a week to ten days apart. You wear a temporary crown in between, so the tooth is never left exposed and you can eat and smile normally.
Stage 1
We assess the tooth, the nerve and the bone around it. This is where we decide whether the tooth needs a crown, an onlay, a root canal first, or none of the three, and we explain why.
Stage 2
Under local anaesthetic, we remove decay and any failing filling, rebuild the foundation where it is needed, and shape the tooth by the amount your chosen material requires.
Stage 3
We take an impression and choose the shade in daylight, then make and cement a temporary crown so you leave the same day with a complete tooth.
Stage 4
Your crown is milled or pressed in the material we named in writing and the ceramic is layered to the agreed shade, working to the margin recorded in the impression.
Stage 5
We try the crown in, check the margin and the contacts with the teeth beside it, and adjust the bite until it meets evenly. Only then do we cement it.
Getting a crown does not hurt, because we numb the tooth with local anaesthetic before we prepare it and we do not start until it has fully worked. Most of our patients describe the preparation visit as long rather than uncomfortable, and the fitting visit as easy.
Ceramic does not decay, but the tooth underneath it can, starting at the margin. These are the habits we ask every crown patient to keep, and they matter more than the material you chose.
Well made crowns commonly last ten to fifteen years, and many of the crowns we see last well beyond that. Zirconia and E-max hold their surface and shade better than older materials, but a crown is only ever as good as the tooth and the gum around it.
What ends a crown is rarely the ceramic. It is decay starting at the margin, a receding gum exposing the join, or grinding that overloads it. Dr Kiran explains in the video above why zirconia crowns break, and in our experience almost every fractured zirconia crown has a grinding habit or a thin, rushed preparation behind it.
Care is ordinary, and it matters. Clean between your teeth daily, especially at the margin, and keep a six monthly hygiene visit so we check the join while any problem is still small.
A root treated back tooth is the one we are strictest about. Research on root treated molars has repeatedly found that those left without a crown are lost far more often than those that were crowned, so we plan the crown at the same time as the root canal rather than as an optional extra.
Many of our crown patients first come to us with a problem on a crown made somewhere else. These are the six we see most often, and how we deal with each one.
Problem
You notice it when your teeth meet, and the tooth becomes sore to bite on. It takes us a few minutes to adjust, and it is worth doing straight away rather than waiting for it to settle.
Problem
The metal inside an older metal ceramic crown showing as the gum recedes. It is not dangerous. If it bothers you, we replace the crown with zirconia or E-max once we have checked the tooth.
Problem
The cement has failed or the tooth has decayed underneath. Keep the crown and bring it in. If the tooth is sound we clean and recement it; if not, we rebuild the tooth first.
Problem
Usually on older metal ceramic crowns, at the biting edge. A small chip can often be polished or repaired with composite; a large one is a reason to replace the crown.
Problem
Common for a few weeks after a new crown and usually settles. If it lingers, wakes you at night or hurts with heat, we x-ray the tooth, because the nerve may need treatment.
Problem
Plaque or decay at an open margin. We clean and x-ray the area, and if the margin is open we replace the crown before the decay reaches the nerve.
We name the material before treatment starts and choose it for the tooth, not for the invoice. Both are documented materials that any dentist can identify and work with in future.
Monolithic and layered zirconia for back teeth, heavy bites and bridges. High strength, a conservative preparation and no metal margin to show at the gum.
Pressed or milled lithium disilicate for front teeth and premolars, where translucency decides whether a crown looks like a tooth. Made from Ivoclar ceramic.
Wherever you have your crown made, ask which material and which laboratory, and ask for both in writing. A clinic that cannot name either is quoting you a price, not a crown.
A crown fits inside a short trip home, because there is no healing time to wait for. Many of our overseas patients plan dental crowns in Islamabad around a two to three week visit, often several crowns at once. If you need a root canal first, we can usually complete both within the same trip.
A crown is often the last step in a sequence. A root canal comes first where the nerve is involved, an onlay that saves more tooth where enough tooth remains, and an implant where the tooth cannot be saved. Several missing teeth in a row are restored with a zirconia bridge, and we check the gums with a periodontal assessment so the margin stays sealed. A front tooth that is only chipped may need nothing more than composite bonding. If a crown has broken or come off today, call our same day emergency dentist.
Reviews our patients have left on Google.
Crown prices vary because the word crown covers several different products. A metal ceramic crown, a zirconia crown and an E-max crown do not last the same length of time or look the same. Ask which material, which laboratory, and what happens if it chips, and compare quotes on those terms.
On a back tooth, almost always. A root treated molar has lost a lot of its structure and becomes brittle, and crowning it greatly reduces the chance of a split that would cost the tooth. Front teeth with small access holes can sometimes be restored with a filling instead.
Two appointments about a week to ten days apart, with a temporary crown in between. The first visit is the longer one, usually an hour to an hour and a half, depending on whether the tooth needs a build-up.
Your crown will match because we choose the shade in daylight against your neighbouring teeth. E-max at the front matches natural enamel closely because it lets light through the same way. If you want your teeth whitened, we do it before we take the shade, because whitening does not lighten ceramic.
Zirconia is stronger and suits back teeth and patients who grind. E-max looks more natural and suits front teeth. Neither is better everywhere, which is why we choose per tooth and explain the choice before we start.
Zirconia crowns usually break because of grinding, a preparation that left the crown too thin, or a bite that was never adjusted. The material itself is very strong. Dr Kiran explains the causes in the video on this page, and a night guard prevents most of them.
A crown can come off, usually because the cement has failed or decay has started underneath. Keep the crown, do not glue it yourself, and call us. If the tooth is sound we clean and recement it; if decay has undermined it, we rebuild the tooth first.
When the crack runs below the bone, when too little tooth is left to hold a crown even with a post, or when gum disease has already loosened it. In those cases we tell you plainly and discuss an implant or a bridge instead.
Yes, within one trip. A crown needs about a week to ten days between preparation and fitting, so a visit of two to three weeks is enough, even for several crowns. Send us your x-rays or photos on WhatsApp before you fly.
For a tooth that has lost more than about half its structure, usually yes. A very large filling leaves thin walls that crack under the bite, while a crown holds the tooth together. Where enough tooth remains, an onlay is the middle option we often recommend.
Yes. The crown cannot decay, but the tooth at the edge of it can. Daily cleaning at the gum line and six monthly check-ups catch it early, which is the difference between a small repair and a new crown.
Not always. Most crowns go on teeth with healthy nerves. We only recommend a root canal first if the x-ray or your symptoms show the nerve is already inflamed or infected, and we tell you before preparation, not after.
Brush twice a day and clean between the teeth once a day with floss or an interdental brush, paying attention to the gum line around the crown. A water flosser helps, but it does not replace cleaning between the teeth.
For the first few days your tongue will notice the new shape, and then it stops. A well made crown has the same contours and contacts as the tooth it replaces, so food does not catch around it. If floss shreds or food packs between the crown and the next tooth, tell us so we can check the contact.
Yes, once the numbness wears off after fitting. Treat it like your own tooth: avoid cracking bones, ice or supari on it, and wear a night guard if you grind, because grinding is the main reason crowns fail early.
Some sensitivity for a few days, and slightly tender gums, are normal. Pain when you bite usually means the crown is high and needs a quick adjustment. Pain with heat that lingers needs an x-ray, so please call us.
No. Ceramic keeps the shade it was made in, and whitening gel does not change it. If you want whiter teeth, we whiten your natural teeth first, wait about two weeks for the shade to settle, and then make the crown to match the new colour.
Temporary crowns are held with a weaker cement on purpose, so they sometimes come off with sticky food. Keep it, avoid chewing on that side, and call us; we recement it the same day. A tooth left uncovered for days can shift or become sensitive.
Yes. Zirconia and E-max contain no metal, and they are the crowns we use most often anyway. If you know you react to nickel or other metals, tell us at the consultation and we will make sure nothing metallic is used in your crown or its core.
Our consultation fee is PKR 2,000, and it is waived when you go ahead with treatment. We quote your crown in writing after the x-ray, with the material and any build-up named.
Our clinic is inside F-10 Markaz, a short walk from the main commercial strip, and most patients reach us from Blue Area in under fifteen minutes outside peak hours.
Main Sumbal Rd, F-10/3 F 10/3 F-10, Islamabad, 46000, Pakistan
Planning dental crowns in Islamabad with us starts with an x-ray, an honest answer about whether an onlay would do the job, and a written quote with the material named.
X-ray, material named, written quote.
Dr. Kiran Haseeb Clinic in Islamabad features a modern facility equipped with the latest dental technology, ensuring all treatments meet international standards.
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