Zirconia vs Porcelain Crowns
A dental crown is a common dental restoration that is used to treat a tooth that has severe decay or has fractured. Crowns cover the entire exposed tooth structure all the way to the gum line and can save a compromised tooth from extraction. There are a number of materials used to fabricate dental crowns including porcelain, porcelain-fused-to-metal (PFM), and zirconia. PFM crowns have been used for years to restore teeth because they are very strong but zirconia or other all-porcelain options are becoming more popular because not only are they strong, they are much more aesthetically pleasing for the patient.
PFM crowns are a porcelain overlay with a metal substructure. The porcelain is colored to match your natural teeth but over time, gum recession can expose the underlying metal on the tooth and can become very unnatural looking and need to be replaced. This causes a lot of dentists to use all porcelain restorations exclusively.
Zirconia is a metal oxide derived from zirconium, which is a metal in the titanium family and even though it has metal properties, zirconia has a high rate of biocompatibility even for patients with metal allergies. Crowns fabricated from zirconia are incredibly strong and are ideal for posterior teeth that take a lot of abuse when chewing or bruxing.
Zirconia vs PFM Crowns
PFM crowns are extremely durable but zirconia can provide strength and durability at least three times stronger than that of porcelain or PFM restorations. Zirconia is resistant to regular wear and tear whereas porcelain can chip from bruxism or even chewing. Bruxism is the unconscious clenching and/or grinding that many of us do in our sleep and can have a negative impact on natural teeth and porcelain crowns alike. Zirconia crowns are milled from a solid block of zirconia which enables them to withstand the abuse at the back of the mouth better than porcelain crowns.
The chemical composition and processing of zirconia enables it to be manufactured to meet the needs of each individual patient, allowing for customization abilities to reduce the margin of error and enables the Dentist to provide an optimal fit for each case.
Additional Benefits of Zirconia
PFM crowns have a metal base layer beneath the porcelain layer which, over time, can begin to show at the gum line due to age and gum recession, leading to an unnatural looking restoration. Zirconia crowns do not contain metal and allow the patient to have a beautiful, natural-looking restoration. Zirconia can also be fabricated for any tooth and shaped to match the rest of the patient's teeth.
For patients who suffer from metal allergies, PFM crowns can lead to inflammation and irritation in the gum tissue so zirconia may be the better choice. Zirconia has high biocompatibility making the crowns and bridges fabricated using zirconia ideal for dental restorations.
Zirconia dental restorations have been used for years and provide strength and durability along with natural-looking results. If you need a tooth restored or even multiple teeth, speak with your Dentist about a zirconia crown or bridge. Together, you can decide what material will give you the best results possible.