How many crowns do you need for a full smile?
Quotes for a new smile often come as a number: 16 crowns, 20, 24. The number matters less than which teeth it covers and why. Here is how our dentists work it out.
Medically reviewed by Dt. Hüseyin Yavuz Özbek, implant surgeon · Updated October 2026How many crowns you need for a full smile depends on how wide your smile is and which teeth actually need treatment. Many people show 8 to 10 upper teeth when they smile, so 8 to 10 units per jaw (16 to 20 in total) often covers what is seen; 24 adds the first molars, and 28 covers every tooth except the wisdom teeth. The right number comes from an examination and X-rays, and healthy teeth that do not need crowns are better left alone or treated with veneers or bonding.
How many crowns for a full smile is one of the first questions people ask us, often because they have seen quotes for 16, 20 or 24 crowns and want to know which is right. The honest answer is that the number should come from your mouth, not from a package. This guide explains what each common number covers, how our dentists decide, and when fewer crowns, or none at all, is the better choice.
First, what a “unit” means
In a dental plan, a unit is one tooth position. A single crown is one unit. A bridge that replaces one missing tooth using the teeth either side is three units: two crowns on the supporting teeth and one false tooth in the middle. So a plan for “20 units” might be 20 separate crowns, or 18 crowns and a small bridge, or something in between.
It helps to know how teeth are counted. Each jaw has, from the middle outwards on each side: two front incisors, a canine, two premolars and then the molars. An adult with no wisdom teeth has 28 teeth, 14 in each jaw.
What each number usually covers
| Units | Teeth covered | Who it tends to suit |
|---|---|---|
| 8 | Upper front teeth from first premolar to first premolar (or 8 lower) | Narrow smile, lower teeth healthy and not very visible |
| 16 | 8 upper and 8 lower | Average smile width, both jaws showing wear or old work |
| 20 | 10 upper and 10 lower, out to the second premolars | Wider smile where the premolars show in the corners |
| 24 | 12 upper and 12 lower, including the first molars | Very wide smile, or back teeth that need crowns anyway |
| 28 | Every tooth except wisdom teeth | Heavily worn or heavily restored mouths, bite being rebuilt |
These are typical patterns, not fixed rules. Someone may need 10 upper crowns and nothing on the lower teeth, or 12 upper and 8 lower.
How our dentists decide the number
Your smile line
The first thing we look at is how many teeth show when you smile naturally and when you laugh. Some people show only the front six upper teeth. Others show right back to the first molars. Teeth that never show do not need crowns for looks. They only need treatment if there is a health or bite reason.
The state of each tooth
We examine every tooth and look at the 3D scan. A tooth that is already heavily filled, cracked, worn down or root-filled may be a good candidate for a crown, because a crown protects what is left. A healthy, untouched tooth is a different matter. Preparing a tooth for a crown removes enamel all the way round, and that cannot be undone. We prefer to save a healthy tooth rather than crown it.
The colour boundary
This is the part people often do not expect. If you crown the upper front eight in a lighter shade, the next tooth along, which is still your natural colour, can look darker by comparison. In a wide smile, that boundary shows. The fix is either to extend the crowns one tooth further, or to choose a shade that blends with the untreated teeth, or to whiten the remaining natural teeth before the shade is chosen. See how teeth whitening works.
Your bite
If your teeth have worn down over many years, your bite may have closed a little. Rebuilding it may mean crowning more teeth, including back teeth, so that the bite is even. In that case the count is driven by function, not looks, and it is explained in your plan.
Missing teeth
Gaps change everything. A gap might be bridged, which adds units, or filled with an implant. If implants are part of the plan, the crowns on them are fitted on a second trip after healing.
A bigger number is not a better smile. The best plan treats the teeth that need it and the teeth that show, and leaves healthy hidden teeth alone.
When crowns are not the right tool
Crowns are excellent for teeth that are broken down, worn or already heavily restored. They are not always the best choice for healthy teeth that are just the wrong colour or slightly uneven. For those, there are gentler options:
- Laminate veneers cover the front surface only and need far less tooth reduction. See our veneers page.
- Composite bonding adds tooth-coloured material and often removes nothing. See composite bonding.
- Whitening lightens natural teeth and may be enough on its own for teeth that are only stained.
Many smiles we plan are a mix: crowns on the teeth that need them, veneers or bonding on the healthy ones, and nothing on the teeth that do not show. This is also what keeps the result looking like your own teeth rather than a single block of white.
Zirconia, E-max or a mix
For a full smile we use mainly zirconia crowns, which are strong and metal-free, and E-max crowns, which are very lifelike and often chosen for front teeth. A 2026 systematic review found five-year survival of zirconia and lithium disilicate (E-max) crowns comparable to traditional metal-ceramic crowns. A common approach is E-max or highly aesthetic zirconia at the front and monolithic zirconia at the back, where chewing forces are highest. Our zirconia crowns page explains the material in more detail.
What different numbers cost with us
Because every tooth is priced separately, you can see exactly what the number means for your budget:
- Zirconia crown: £150 per tooth
- E-max crown: £225 per tooth
- Package of 24 zirconia teeth: £3,600, with 5 hotel nights and airport and clinic transfers
- E-max laminate veneer: £300 per tooth
- Composite bonding: £125 per tooth
Your written plan lists every tooth by number, the material and the price. If we think a tooth does not need treatment, it will not be on the list. Flights are not included. You can see all fees on our prices page.
How a full-smile trip runs
- Photos and X-ray Send smiling photos and a recent X-ray if you have one. A dentist suggests a provisional number and sends an itemised plan.
- Day one in Antalya Examination, 3D scan and, for cosmetic cases, digital smile design and a trial smile so you can see the shape before any tooth is touched. The final number is confirmed in writing.
- Preparation The teeth are prepared under local anaesthetic, scanned and fitted with temporary crowns. Read what to expect in temporaries.
- Try-in and fitting The crowns are tried in, adjusted for bite and shade, and fixed once you are happy.
- Aftercare You leave with written aftercare and the details of your guarantee. Crowns and smile makeovers carry a 5-year written guarantee, see our guarantee page.
Most full-smile crown cases fit into one trip of about five to seven days.
Questions to ask about any quote
- Which teeth, by number, are included?
- Why does each tooth need a crown rather than a veneer, bonding or nothing?
- Which material is used on which teeth?
- What happens to the teeth just outside the treated area, colour-wise?
- Is the price per tooth or a fixed package, and what does it include?
A clear plan answers all of these in writing before you book a flight.
Find out your number
Send us a few smiling photos taken in daylight, plus a recent X-ray if you have one. A dentist will look at them and send a written plan showing how many crowns we would suggest, which teeth, and why, with an itemised price. There is no charge for the plan. Use our contact form or message us on WhatsApp.
Common questions
Do I need to crown my bottom teeth too?
Not always. Many people show far fewer lower teeth than upper ones when they smile. If the lower teeth are healthy and the colour difference is small, they may need nothing, or whitening and bonding. If the upper teeth become much lighter, a strong colour gap can appear, which is why we plan both jaws together even if only one is treated.
Is 20 crowns the same as a Hollywood smile?
It can be. “Hollywood smile” usually means a bright, even smile across all the visible teeth, which often means 16 to 20 units. But the same number can give a natural look with softer shapes and shades. See our Hollywood smile page.
What does a full smile of crowns cost?
Zirconia crowns are £150 per tooth and we have a package of 24 zirconia teeth for £3,600. E-max crowns are £225 per tooth. Your written plan lists each tooth and its price. See our prices.
Can crowns be done in one trip?
Usually yes. Crowns and smile makeovers are normally one trip of about five to seven days, with temporary crowns between the preparation and the fit.
What if some of my teeth are missing?
Missing teeth change the count. A gap may be filled by a bridge, which uses the teeth either side as supports, or by an implant. Both count as units in the plan, and an implant needs a second trip after healing.
Sources
- Oral Health Foundation: Crowns
- Oral Health Foundation: Bridges
- International Journal of Prosthodontics (2026): survival of metal-ceramic, veneered and monolithic all-ceramic tooth-supported single crowns
Checked October 2026. Where we give our own view as a clinic, we say so.
Get your treatment plan and price in writing
Send a few photos of your teeth or a recent X-ray. One of our dentists looks at it and you get an itemised plan before you book anything.