Case Study: Restoring Function and Brightening a Smile (Zirconium & Implants)

T.K., traveling to us from Ireland, presented with a heavily compromised smile. Years of wear, decay, and missing posterior (back) teeth had severely impacted both his ability to chew and his confidence.

Instead of extracting all his teeth, our clinical team designed a hybrid treatment plan: restoring his salvageable natural teeth with premium Zirconium crowns while utilizing Neodent dental implants to rebuild his missing bite support.

• Patient: T.K.
• Diagnosis: Severe Attrition (Wear), Decay, and Partial Edentulism (Missing Teeth)
• Treatment: 23 Zirconium Porcelain Crowns/Veneers, 3 Neodent Implants, Gum Contouring, Sinus Lifting, & Bone Grafting
• Aesthetic Choice: Softened Style / OM1-OM3 Bleach Shades
• Total Invoiced Investment: £5,896.08

Wondering how this would price out for your own teeth? See our full Dental Treatment Prices for an item-by-item breakdown.

The Initial Condition: Wear and Missing Support

At his initial consultation in October 2023, T.K.’s smile showed significant breakdown:

• Visual Exam: The “Before” photos reveal heavy wear, chipping, and deep discoloration on the upper and lower front teeth.
• Missing Teeth: He was missing vital molar support, which placed excessive chewing pressure on his fragile front teeth.
• Underlying Issues: Decay was present, requiring root canal therapy and fillings to save the foundations.

The Solution: A Phased Restorative Journey

Because T.K. needed both cosmetic crowning and advanced implant surgery, his treatment was strategically divided into phases to allow for proper healing.

Phase 1: Saving the Smile & Initial Implant (October 2023)

The priority was treating the active decay, improving the gumline, and protecting his natural teeth.

• Prep & Foundation: We performed necessary extractions, 1 root canal treatment, and 6 white fillings to secure the health of his natural roots.
• Cosmetic Enhancement: Gum contouring was performed on 3-6 teeth to create a symmetrical, aesthetic gum line before placing crowns.
• The Restorations: 21 Zirconium Porcelain Crowns/Veneers (10 Upper, 11 Lower) were permanently cemented to rebuild his bite and deliver a bright new smile.
• Implant Surgery: A single Neodent (Straumann Group) Implant was placed in the lower jaw to begin replacing his missing molars.

Phase 2: Advanced Surgery & Finalizing the Lower Arch (April 2024)

T.K. returned six months later to continue his reconstruction.

• Lower Arch Completion: We placed 2 additional Zirconium Crowns to restore the lower implant that had fully healed from Visit 1.
• Upper Arch Surgery: To address the missing teeth in his upper jaw, advanced surgery was required. We performed a Sinus Lift and Bone Grafting to create enough bone depth, followed by the placement of 2 Neodent Implants.

Phase 3: Finalizing the Upper Arch (March 2026)

After allowing ample time for the bone grafts and sinus lift to integrate with the upper Neodent implants, T.K. returned for the final touch.

• The Final Restorations: As seen in the final postoperative X-ray, we successfully placed the last 2 Zirconium Crowns onto the upper implants. This officially completed his bite restoration, giving him full chewing function on both sides of his mouth.

The Result: A Striking, Youthful Transformation

The difference is remarkable. T.K. transitioned from a worn, uneven smile to a perfectly aligned, brilliant one.

• The Aesthetics: T.K. opted for a Softened Style to keep the tooth shapes looking natural. While he initially started with an OM3 shade, clinical notes from his second visit indicate he pushed the brightness even further to a stunning OM1 shade.
• Functionality: By replacing the missing back teeth with implants, the chewing force is now evenly distributed, protecting his new front crowns from future wear and tear.
• Protection: To protect his new investment from nighttime grinding, he was provided with a custom Night Guard.

Why This Case Matters

T.K.’s case demonstrates that even when teeth are heavily worn down and missing, a full clearance isn’t always the only answer. By combining the immediate aesthetic transformation of Zirconium Crowns with the careful, staged permanence of Neodent Implants and bone grafting, we achieved a result that is both functionally robust and visually stunning.

Restore Your Smile Without a Full Clearance

T.K. came to us with worn, decayed, and missing teeth and left with a bright, fully functional smile — his natural teeth saved with crowns and his missing teeth rebuilt with implants, rather than clearing everything. Finding out what’s possible for you starts with one easy step: send us a few photos of your teeth and our specialists will review your case and send back a personalised treatment plan and itemised quote, with no cost and no obligation. Hybrid cases like this are led by our oral surgeon, Özkan Özkaynak, D.D.S., Ph.D., and because implant planning depends on your jawbone, your final plan is always confirmed with a 3D scan before any surgery.

Your trip is taken care of, too: larger treatment plans include a free 6-night hotel stay through our Turkey Teeth Package. You can see more transformations on our before & after page, or browse more of our patient case studies.

Online Free Dental Consultation — send us your photos today and find out what’s possible for your smile.

Accredited, Verified & Trusted

Like every treatment at Smile Dental Turkey, this transformation was carried out in our AACI-accredited (American Accreditation Commission International), ISO 9001:2015 certified clinic in Antalya — accredited by the Turkish Ministry of Health and verifiable on the official government portal — and protected by our treatment warranties.