Zirconia vs Porcelain Crowns
What is Zirconia?
Zirconia is a material that comes from zirconium, or a metal in the same family as titanium. Zirconium has a crystal structure so when it forms it’s metal oxide version of zirconia, it has the strength and durability of titanium. The combination of attributes allows dentists to use it for dental crowns and even dental implants. Zirconia crowns are strong and are not affected by repeated chewing and grinding, unlike other materials.
What is PFM?
Porcelain fused to metal (PFM) dental crowns are a combination of the more natural looking material porcelain with the strength of metal. The porcelain’s color can be adjusted to match the surrounding teeth, but the dark color of the metal can show through the porcelain or be noticeable along the gum line.
Why Use Zirconia Over PFM?
Exceptional Strength
Dentists turn to zirconia over porcelain because zirconia is in the titanium family so it has the strength that titanium is known to have. Studies have shown the zirconia dental crowns to be three to five times stronger than porcelain. If you are looking to repair a molar towards the back of your mouth, the dentist may look to zirconia because it is so unlikely to chip and wear as compared to porcelain. Advancements in zirconia like monolithic zirconia or zirconia taken from one single block are even stronger than other previous combinations of zirconia.
Natural Looking Smile
Porcelain crowns use porcelain on the surface of the crown to better match the surrounding teeth and make the restoration less noticeable than all metal crowns. Typically, there is a metal layer below the porcelain to provide more strength for the dental crown. Often, you will be able to see the metal from the porcelain fused to metal crowns along the gum line. For people who are more interested in a natural looking tooth replacement, zirconia allows for no dark metal along the gums and a more confident smile knowing that all the teeth look like your own. Zirconia can be used effectively in thin layers and can be adjusted to match the surrounding teeth.
Reliability and Durability
Compared to porcelain, zirconia is more durable when used in thin layers. Structurally, zirconia is denser in stabilizers than porcelain, so it can tolerate aggressive chewing and even teeth grinding without damage. When zirconia dental crowns are properly maintained, they have been shown to last the lifetime of the patient.
Safer for Patients
Because zirconia is from the titanium family, it has been shown to be biocompatible when used in dental implants and dental crowns. For the people who have shown sensitivities to titanium and other metals, zirconia is less likely to cause allergic reactions. When titanium is used in medical and dental settings, it is often an alloy and contains combinations of other metals to improve its strength and durability. These additions can cause reactions in sensitive patients. Zirconia is an ideal material to use in these cases and can reduce the risk of infection and complication from the procedure.