A crown is a cap that completely encases a tooth or a dental implant. It is often suggested by dentists to repair a tooth that is broken, weak, or malformed as well as to hide those teeth that are highly worn out or discolored. They are also applied with bridges to strengthen several teeth.
Various materials can be used for crowns, such as ceramics, metals, etc. One of the contemporary options available in the market is a zirconia crown, made from zirconium dioxide, a strong ceramic substance.
Strength: Zirconia crowns are extremely strong and solid and can be used for molars as they withstand a lot of biting force. Due to their strength, the dentist does not have to prepare much of the teeth.
Longevity: A 2017 study published in the Journal of Dentistry found that zirconia-based crowns perform similarly to metal-based crowns over five years. Monolithic zirconium oxide crowns, in particular, are very strong.
Biocompatibility: Zirconia crowns tend to cause fewer immune reactions or inflammation. A 2016 in vitro study further states that they have minimum cytotoxicity.
One-day procedure: Many dentists can fabricate zirconia crowns inside their office using CAD/CAM technology. They have the ability to make and fix crowns in one visit, which saves their time and the patient's time with multiple visits. However, not every dental practice is equipped with this technology.
Zirconium oxide is opaque. The main thing about it is that it blends with natural teeth. Some dentists layer porcelain on top of zirconia. As a result, it looks more natural as it blends with the surrounding teeth. The porcelain layer makes the crown chip or split, however.
Other common materials used for crowns are ceramics, porcelain, metal, composite resin, and various combinations like porcelain-fused-to-metal (PFM). The most appropriate material for your crown depends on several factors like the amount of remaining natural tooth, the position and function of the tooth, visibility of the gum when smiling or talking, and the color of the surrounding teeth.
There are two major procedures for fitting crowns: a two-visit procedure and a same-day procedure.
Take an x-ray of your mouth and prepare the teeth, possibly under a local anaesthetic.
Remove part of the outer layer of the tooth if necessary.
Make a mold of the teeth.
Put a temporary crown on the tooth.
Create the crown from the mold in a dental laboratory.
Return for a second visit to cement the permanent crown onto the tooth.
Examine the mouth and take digital photographs, prepare the teeth under a local anesthetic.
The crown is created in the office using a digital scan.
Cement the crown in place.
This allows the whole procedure to be done in one visit if the dentist is competent and has the equipment to make zirconia crowns in-office.
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