The type of material used for a dental crown is determined on a case-by-case basis. Your dentist will discuss with you the options and suggest what may be appropriate depending on aesthetics, the position of the tooth and the functionality, after listening to your needs.
Zirconia Crowns
This is a ceramic type crown, which is very strong, white in colour, and looks very natural but does require expert tinting and painting as they have some natural opacity. Due to its strength, Zirconia is generally used for back teeth responsible for chewing, but also have very good aesthetic properties for teeth further to the front.
Lithium Disilicate Crowns
These are glass ceramics that are normally used for front teeth because they are able to blend well with a person’s natural tooth colour, and mimic the natural tooth’s ability to let light travel through them.
Gold Crowns
Gold crowns are made from gold alloy rather than pure gold. They have a variety of different precious metals in them for strength and colour and are the most biocompatible with surrounding tooth structure of the crown types. They are practical and will not chip. They are recommended for patients who are more worried about the function of the tooth rather than aesthetics and are very suitable in back teeth. Dentists also don’t have to file down as much tooth structure and this option can offer an extraordinary fit.
Porcelain-fused-metal Crowns
These are an older style of crown that is very good for masking discolouration in teeth. The metal coping on the inside provides strength and the fused porcelain can be tinted and painted upon to provide good aesthetics. Unlike the ceramic crowns though, porcelain-fused-metal crowns are a lot more opaque and don’t generally allow light through them.
If you have a broken or missing tooth and would like to ask about a crown to restore function and aesthetics to the area, talk to us today.
