Crowns, or dental caps, are common dental treatments that address damaged teeth or protect a large filling. About 90% of adults have had cavities. While not all cavities require crowns, teeth that become severely decayed, infected, or discolored may.
Find out if you need a dental crown by seeing Kenn Kakosian, DDS, PhD, and the general dentistry experts at DentAlign NYC in Midtown East, Manhattan, New York. There are numerous choices for crown materials. In this post, we take a look at the differences between zirconia restorations and traditional crown options to help you decide which is best for you.
Crowns are dental restorations that fit over a damaged tooth to protect it, strengthen it, and enhance its appearance. Crowns also fill in for missing teeth: Bridges can contain multiple crowns to replace a set of missing teeth, and implant-supported crowns bond to metal dental implants — also replacing missing permanent teeth.
You might need a crown if you develop a tooth that is:
Dr. Kakosian must remove a small amount of your tooth’s enamel before covering a damaged tooth with a crown. If you’re a candidate for dental implants, he inserts an implant into your jawbone so it can anchor a crown.
Dental crowns are made of various materials, including metals, porcelain, ceramic, resins, and zirconia. The type that’s best for your smile often depends on how visible the tooth is as well as your preferences and dental needs.
Metal crowns are made of nickel, palladium, gold, chromium, or other materials. While they rarely break or chip, are sturdy, last a long time, and require just a small amount of tooth enamel removal, metal crowns are a metallic color — so they don’t blend in with the color of your natural teeth. They may be an option for teeth in the back of your mouth.
Ceramic crowns are all-ceramic or combined with other materials, such as porcelain or zirconia. They mimic natural tooth enamel translucency. However, they’re more prone to chipping than metal crowns.
Zirconium dioxide is a material commonly used to make ceramic crowns. This material also combines with porcelain crowns. Zirconia is very durable, withstanding heavier chewing forces than traditional ceramic crowns. These crowns are also gentle on your other teeth, resulting in less wear on the enamel. Zirconia crowns are suitable for people with metal allergies.
Porcelain crowns can perfectly mimic natural tooth enamel. Some are fused to zirconia. All-porcelain and porcelain-fused to metal (PFM) crowns are options, too.
PFM crowns combine durable metal with tooth-colored porcelain that matches the shade of your natural teeth. However, these crowns may gradually wear down the enamel of teeth they touch during chewing and are more prone to chipping over time. PFM crowns can last almost as long as metal crowns.
Resin dental crowns are often less expensive than other crowns, but they’re a bit more fragile with a higher likelihood of breaking. Lasting an average of 3-5 years — versus 15 years or longer for other types of crowns — resin crowns are often used as temporary dental restorations.
The best dental crown choice for you depends on your preferences, the condition of your teeth, and your cosmetic dental goals.
Zirconia restorations mimic the feel and look of natural teeth. They’re some of the strongest crowns available, highly resistant to cracking, staining, and chipping. Zirconia isn't likely to damage your adjacent teeth during chewing.
What dentists say they like best about zirconia is its affordable cost, fit, appearance, strength, versatility, and wear/fracture resistance. Potential drawbacks of zirconia are the effort involved in matching its shade to surrounding natural teeth and removing or replacing zirconia restorations. However, zirconia crowns are widely popular.
If you have questions about your dental crown options, set up a consultation with the team at DentAlign NYC today. Simply call our office or request an appointment online.
