Advantages of Zirconia Crowns
Dental crowns are frequently used in conjunction with implants to replace decayed or missing teeth. They can also be used to cover chipped, fractured, or broken teeth or as anchors for partial dentures or dental bridges.
Historically, gold and porcelain have been the materials of choice for fabricating dental crowns. While porcelain provides a more natural look, the material is not as durable and is prone to chipping. Gold crowns, while inexpensive, can be unattractive and could cause allergic reactions in some patients.
An increasingly popular material that avoids many of these pitfalls, zirconia can also be used for dental crowns. Read on to learn more about the advantages of zirconia crowns.
Advantages of Zirconia Dental Crowns
Superior Strength
Perhaps the biggest advantage zirconia offers is its superior strength. When considering the amount of force exerted on the back teeth when chewing food, it is vital that crowns are made of strong materials. As such, zirconia may be the optimal choice for crowns placed in the rear of the mouth. And because zirconia is so strong, dentists do not have to do as much preparation of the effected tooth.
Longevity
Studies have shown that over a five year period, zirconia crowns fare equally well to metal-based versions in terms of durability and longevity. Since the material is made of crystal, zirconia is virtually indestructible and can stand up to the most vigorous biting and chewing. In addition, zirconia crowns are resistant to extreme cold and hot temperatures which can lessen the frequency of tooth sensitivity commonly associated with other crown types.
Biocompatibility
Zirconia is the material of choice for many dentists because of its biocompatibility. This means that the material is less likely to cause a bodily reaction or immune response such as inflammation. Since the body will not reject zirconia, the chances of complications, infections, pain, or allergic reactions, are reduced.
Single Procedure
Other types of crowns are typically sent off to a separate facility for manufacturing based on impressions of the tooth. As such, multiple visits are required until the patient receives their restoration. Zirconia crowns, on the other hand, can often avoid this as many dentists make them in office and cement them onto the patient’s tooth in the same visit. Some facilities may utilize computer aided design and manufacturing (CAD/CAM) technology to expedite the process. It should be noted that not all dentist have this technology in their office or even offer zirconia crowns to begin with.
More Versatile
Despite their strength, zirconia crowns can be easily sized, shaped, and color-matched to the patient’s natural teeth. It is believed that zirconia’s malleable nature creates crowns that are a superior shape to the natural crown it is replacing. This ability to perfectly match color, size, and shape produces a better, and more natural looking restoration.
Requires Less Modification of the Tooth
Generally, when a crown is required, a layer of the natural tooth is removed so that the crown fits over it properly. Because of its strength, a thinner layer of zirconia is required for the crown meaning less of the natural tooth has to be removed.