Advantages of Zirconia Crowns
Dental crowns can be used with dental implants to replace missing teeth or used alone to address damaged teeth that are too healthy to remove completely. Dentists can even use crowns to secure a dental bridge or partial denture in place. Traditionally, dentists have looked to porcelain and gold to make dental crowns, but those materials have their disadvantages. Porcelain chips easily even though it gives the dental crowns a more natural appearance. Gold is very noticeable and can lead to allergic reactions even though it’s a less expensive choice for dental crowns.
The other choice is zirconia which offers a strong, natural looking crown without any metal related allergic reactions.
What is Zirconium?
Zirconium is a type of crystal that is known to last a long time and is very strong. Dentists and doctors have been able to find numerous uses for zirconium in procedures offering people positive results and less complications compared to other materials. Some reasons to consider zirconia dental crowns are:
Long lasting
Compared to porcelain, zirconium crowns last longer because they are more resistant to cracking and chipping.
Durable
Because zirconium is a type of crystal, it can withstand most pressure from biting and vigorous chewing. Zirconium is five times stronger than porcelain and is resistant to extreme temperature changes. Many people experience tooth sensitivity when they have a dental crown, but zirconium can minimize that discomfort.
Metal Free
Zirconium is a metal free material and does not require the use of any metals to secure it in your mouth. Without any metal, it will be less noticeable and it will be less likely to cause an allergic reaction in your mouth.
Biocompatible
Like titanium, zirconium is able to be accepted by the body and can fuse with bone. There are even fewer chances of rejection of zirconium reducing the risk of infections, pain, swelling, and other complications.
Easily modified
Because zirconium is such a strong material, the dental crowns can be made thinner without changing the function. If the dental crown can fit over your natural tooth better, the dentist will not have to remove as much of your natural tooth to accommodate the dental crown.
Zirconium is strong, does not need to be as thick as the other dental crown materials and can be adjusted to fit your mouth’s needs. The dentist can adjust the shape of the dental crown, the size of the replacement tooth and the color to best match the other teeth surrounding it. The dentist can even replace existing dental crowns with zirconium crowns offering you a more natural looking and feeling replacement tooth.
Natural looking
When the dental crown is addressing damage to teeth from staining or fractures, zirconium covers up the damage better than porcelain. Zirconium is less transparent than porcelain but it does have some translucence from the crystal base of the material.
The dentist will be able to work with your specific dental crown needs to determine the best choice of material, but be sure to ask about zirconium.