You can utilize dental crowns to restore the tooth's appearance and function when fighting dental problems such as misshapen, worn-out, broken, or discolored teeth. Crowns also serve as permanent restorations or artificial teeth in dental implants. In addition, they involve minimal tooth preparation, preserving the natural tooth structure. The caps are constructed with various materials, such as metal and ceramic. However, there is an advanced restorative solution that combines biocompatibility, strength, and aesthetics called the zirconia dental crown.
While crowns composed of zirconia provide these benefits, they are expensive, difficult to remove, and can damage opposing teeth. Lastly, in making a decision regarding these crowns, you must visit a seasoned dental practitioner in order to select material that fits your oral requirements, looks, and overall oral health objectives.
Overview of Dental Crowns Made From Zirconia
Dental crowns are artificial caps that cover and safeguard discolored, fractured, weakened, or damaged teeth to restore structural integrity, appearance, and function. Additionally, crowns act as restorative solutions for failing fillings and cover teeth when cavities are too large for a dental filling. They cover the natural or artificial teeth section above the gum margins, offering a protective shield.
Crowns are made from various materials, such as metal. Some patients even have access to zirconia, which has revolutionized restorative dentistry because of its benefits compared to other materials. Zirconia, whose scientific name is Zirconium Dioxide, is a ceramic material with metallic elements, comprising a white powder taken from zirconium.
Zirconia is widely accepted in the medical field, apart from dentistry, to replace joints and as prosthetics because it is highly durable and well-accepted by the body, making it safe. With the safety and enhanced medical performance zirconia provides, crowns made of the material are gaining popularity.
Technological advancement in the dental industry, particularly the integration of CAM/CAD technology by many dental clinics, has improved the accuracy and efficiency of fabricating zirconia crowns. Before the CAM/CAD technology, the fabrication process using zirconia was challenging due to poor precision. However, the material has gained popularity in restorative dentistry with the new technology.
Benefits of Zirconia Crowns
The common benefits of dental crowns made of zirconia over those made using conventional materials are:
Zirconia Crowns are Exceptionally Strong and Durable
Currently, zirconia is the strongest oral material available, as it is highly resistant to cracking, chipping, fracturing, or wearing down. As a result of the robustness, zirconia crowns are used to replace posterior teeth or for patients with jaw clenching or teeth grinding issues because they can withstand the pressure from heavy grinding and clenching. The high resistance to wear is the reason for the extended longevity of these restorations. With proper maintenance, zirconia crowns can last at least 60 months.
Historically, dental experts have avoided crowns made of zirconia because of the hard surfaces that could eat away the enamel of opposing natural teeth. However, with the introduction of new technology in crown fabrication, it is possible for dental technicians to precisely fabricate well-polished zirconia crowns with no rough surfaces that could erode the opposing enamel. While there is a risk of damaging opposing teeth, when well-polished, zirconia crowns perform exceptionally. Therefore, when partnering with a dental expert for the restorative procedure, you should find out if they have integrated CAM/CAD technology into their precise fabrication and polishing services.
Enhanced Biocompatibility
The wide use of zirconia in the medical field, particularly in replacing body parts or dental care, is due to its exceptional biocompatibility, meaning the body tissues tolerate it well and are unlikely to trigger the body into producing an immune system or allergic reaction, like swelling. Besides, zirconia does not contain metals, making it suitable for patients who suffer from allergic reactions to certain metals, especially those of nickel, like porcelain-fused-to-metal (PFM) dental crowns.
Apart from ensuring that the body does not reject the dental crowns, the smooth surfaces of well-polished zirconia crowns reduce the risk of plaque and calculus buildup, improving your dental hygiene. Further, the smooth surfaces prevent oral concerns associated with plaque and tartar accumulation on the tooth surfaces, like dental cavities, tooth decay, tooth discoloration, and gum disease if the buildup forms between gum margins. Besides, zirconia caps will not irritate the gum tissue along the gum lines, supporting the health of your gums. If you have sensitive gums easily irritated by metals or other materials, zirconia crowns are your best choice.
Provide an Improved Natural Teeth Appeal
Today’s zirconia dental crowns are translucent, enabling them to mimic the color of the remaining natural teeth and blend flawlessly for a flawless smile. The natural appearance of these restorative solutions is further improved because they contain light-reflecting features like the original teeth, contributing to the sparkly appearance.
Additionally, zirconia crowns eliminate the unappealing dark metal margins left by PFM crowns along the gingival margins, especially when the gums begin to recede due to irritation.
Also, you enjoy the natural and pearly white appearance longer as zirconia dental crowns are highly resistant to staining. Therefore, if you love staining foods or beverages like coffee, red wine, or tea, you do not have to stop or reduce their consumption, as your restorations will retain their natural shade.
You Preserve the Natural Tooth Structure Better than With Other Dental Crown Materials
Naturally, zirconia is strong, meaning even a thin layer of material is sufficient to anchor your teeth steadily. This is advantageous because it helps you preserve the natural structure of your teeth, as minimal trimming or reshaping is required to accommodate the final restoration. Therefore, if you do not want to compromise the structure of your teeth to avoid future dental issues like chipping or fracturing, you should opt for zirconia crowns.
It is a Single-Visit Procedure
Restorative dentistry services invested in CAD/CAM technology can take impressions of your teeth and fabricate the final restorations on the same day. The dental experts do not need to send the impressions to a dental lab for fabrication, which often takes time. You will wear temporary restorations for some time, and you will be awaiting the permanent ones. Once the final crowns are ready, you come in for placement. When the fabrication is done in-house, the process is shortened, the tooth can be prepped on the same day, and the permanent zirconia crowns are placed without needing a second appointment.
Few dental clinics have invested in modern technology. Therefore, if you want the treatment completed in one appointment, find a dental expert with modern technology or one that does the fabrication in-house to ensure you will not need a second visit to the facility, unless for follow-ups.
Disadvantages of Zirconia Crowns
Even though zirconia crowns have many advantages, they have disadvantages that you should be aware of when considering the procedure. The disadvantages of receiving these dental crowns made from this material are:
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They Have the Potential to Wear the Opposing Teeth
One characteristic of zirconia crowns that makes them stand out is their hardness, which makes them durable and highly resistant to wear and tear. However, the extreme hardness of these crowns can be a liability to the opposing original teeth, which is paradoxical. Zirconia crowns can be exceptionally abrasive to the opposing enamel if not adequately polished during fabrication. Before technological advancements in restorative dentistry, many dental experts hesitated to recommend zirconia crowns as a restorative solution because of their hardness, which caused wear on the opposing teeth.
However, you can avoid this downside of the restoration by finding a dental clinic that applies the latest technology in administering dental crowns. The dental facility must have CAD/CAM technology and experienced dental technicians to guarantee precise and well-polished zirconia crowns without any abrasiveness. While beneficial, the hardness of the material can be a problem if experienced dental experts do not adequately manage the fabrication and crown placement.
While the abrasiveness of zirconia crowns might be a concern when considering the treatment, you should know that a 2021 study found zirconia ceramic crowns to cause less wear to the opposing enamel than feldspathic porcelain.
They Can Be Difficult to Match, Limiting your Aesthetics
Zirconia material types have evolved, each customized for different situations, balancing strength and appeal.
The monolithic or solid zirconia is among the long-lasting and strong crowns of zirconia since they are constructed using solid zirconia dioxide. The solidity of such crowns is advantageous when they are placed on posterior teeth like premolars and molars, where much chewing and grinding is involved. Using zirconia by itself, without combining it with other metals or ceramics, makes the ceramics opaque and difficult to match at first with the remaining natural teeth, depriving you of a natural and aesthetic appearance. Solid zirconia crowns will fail your smile if you replace visible teeth, especially the anterior ones. However, you can use them for posterior teeth, as they are less visible through the mouth.
When struggling with intrinsic stains, monolithic zirconia remains a favorable restorative solution despite its opaque appearance. However, based on your restorative needs, you can choose the hybrid or new generation zirconia crowns, like the porcelain-fused-to-zirconia and the high-translucent zirconia crowns. These materials provide improved aesthetic results while retaining the inherent strength of zirconia. However, they are prone to chipping, making them unsuitable for posterior teeth.
Therefore, depending on your oral needs and objectives, you should discuss the available zirconia crown types to select one that best suits your needs. For intrinsic stains or when rehabilitating the posterior tooth form and function, you might have to sacrifice the aesthetic aspects for durability with monolithic zirconia crowns, despite them being opaque. Your dentist can also cement a layer of porcelain over the zirconia to get it to match the adjacent teeth.
Removing Zirconia Crowns Is Challenging and Time-Consuming
The rigidity of zirconia and the strong bonding characteristics of zirconia to the natural tooth or implant framework could make it very challenging for the dental operator to remove or reshape zirconia dental crowns.
If you need a root canal procedure while the zirconia crowns are in place, accessing the tooth through the crowns' removal and replacement of the restoration or specialized techniques may be challenging. So, despite the material’s hardness being an advantage, it paradoxically creates several disadvantages.
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Zirconia Crowns are Costly Compared to Conventional Dental Crowns
The initial cost of receiving zirconia crowns is higher than that of traditional crown materials, like metal or ceramic. They cost between $1,000 - $2,500 per tooth, contingent on many factors like the geographic location of the dental clinic.
When the treatment cost is one of the considerations when deciding whether to receive zirconia crowns, you should factor in dental insurance. Insurers consider dental crowns a cosmetic procedure, meaning they do not cover these services. However, you should consult with your dental insurance carrier to establish if they cover part of or the whole cost. Some pay for certain crowns or pay less for crowns fabricated using certain materials. In case your insurer does not cover the crowns at all, you will pay for the treatment out of your pocket, and it will be financially challenging to use zirconia crowns.
Other Types of Dental Crowns
If the disadvantages of zirconia crowns discourage you from taking the treatment, you can opt for crowns prepared with other materials, including:
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Metal
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Ceramic
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Composite resin
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Porcelain
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PFM
You should consult with your dentist, know their advantages and disadvantages, and select an appropriate material for your crowns.
Dental Crowns Procedure
The dental crown procedure begins with the first examination to see how damaged the tooth is, the tooth structure, how much has to be reshaped, and the complications that may arise.
If you are a candidate, the dentist prepares a treatment plan depending on your oral needs. The next step is to prepare the teeth for the crowns. The preparations involve bulk reduction of the tooth, redesigning and redefining the gum line, and redefining occlusion.
Your dentist then takes an impression of your teeth and jaw to craft the permanent crown. Once the crowns are prepared, they are cemented and fitted and adjusted for a good fit. The final placement can be done on the same day, or you might need a second appointment, depending on the dental clinic.
Find a Reputable Restorative Dentistry Service Near Me
The unparalleled strength, durability, and biocompatibility of dental crowns made of zirconia represent progress in restorative dentistry. The crowns offer several benefits over the conventional ones, making them popular among patients and dental professionals. If you are considering crowns made of zirconia, Lasting Impressions Dental Spa can help. We will explain the pros and cons of zirconia crowns and other dental crown types to help you select the right material depending on your unique situation. Call us at 818-751-5100 to discuss your options in Encino, CA.
