Crowns can be an effective solution to dental issues such as decay, broken teeth, sensitivity and infections. To keep it looking its best and in working order for as long as possible it is crucial that you brush twice per day and floss daily around your crown to keep it looking its best.
Your dentist will first trim away the underlying tooth before applying a putty-like impression material to your mouth – this process usually takes several minutes.
Metal Crowns
Metal crowns are composed of base metal alloys that are highly durable and provide exceptional strength to back teeth, making them one of the most common and affordable types of tooth crowns. Metal crowns can withstand chewing forces well while still looking natural from all angles; however, they do conduct heat and cold, leading to potential sensitivity for certain patients as well as corrosion over time that requires replacement.
If you suffer from metal allergies, porcelain fused to gold or titanium alloy crowns could be the ideal choice. These crowns feature a ceramic layer covering their metal framework for easy fabrication in-office with computerized milling machines; also making this type of crown more cost effective should your dental insurance cover this coverage option.
BruxZir solid crowns are constructed with only premium Japanese zirconia that offers improved light transmission over other restoration processes, creating more natural shades and appearance while still offering strength and longevity. As such, BruxZir crowns provide an appealing option for patients looking for durable restoration without PFM or all-metal limitations while remaining an aesthetic option.
Ceramic or Porcelain Crowns
Ceramic or porcelain crowns, more commonly referred to as crowns, are an effective and popular way of strengthening severely damaged teeth. Custom-designed to cover over your damaged tooth and restore its size, strength, and appearance – ceramic crowns provide a trusted solution.
Crowns can often be the ideal solution for patients who prioritize aesthetics over function when it comes to front teeth, as they can mimic your natural smile almost perfectly. Furthermore, crowns may also help repair any teeth that have been broken or weakened due to decay.
As with their metallic counterparts, porcelain crowns are highly strong and long-term reliable if taken proper care of – typically used for molars. As one of the more economical crown materials, these can often outlive decades when properly maintained.
Dentists previously relied on porcelain-fused-to-metal (PFM) crowns, which featured an inner metal thimble to support the original tooth and an opaque porcelain covering on top. While still strong, PFM crowns didn’t reflect light as effectively as natural teeth would.
All-ceramic crowns are the latest generation of porcelain crowns and are constructed using biocompatible lithium disilicate porcelain/porcelain ceramic material with superior durability, which allows dentists to craft restorations that are stronger, more reliable, more aesthetically-pleasing than traditional crowns without suffering the drawbacks associated with older materials. A ceramic crown can easily be color-matched to surrounding teeth while being translucent enough so as to resemble natural teeth as closely as possible – mitigating temperature changes without discomfort from temperature changes sensitivity sensitivity resulting in greater comfort for sensitive patients.
Resin Crowns
Metal crowns (gold and platinum alloys) offer superior resistance against biting forces and wear wear. Their metallic color may also make them less appealing to patients; therefore they’re generally reserved for out of sight molars with minimal reduction or back teeth that require little modification of bite (ie: rear teeth).
Porcelain-fused-to-metal crowns can often be color matched to your adjacent teeth. Unfortunately, however, porcelain may chip and break off over time and cause greater wear to surrounding teeth than other crown types.
Resin crowns are constructed using various plastic-type materials, which can be tinted to match the natural tooth in color. Silicon dioxide and polymethyl methacrylate resin varieties are often the go-to choice, providing patients who suffer from metal allergies with an alternative option to ceramic or porcelain crowns.
BruxZir solid zirconia is an extremely strong material which resembles natural teeth in strength and appearance, as well as being biocompatible and superior translucency compared to natural ones. This allows for excellent light transmission and gives an aesthetic appearance similar to natural ones. These implants are typically used on back molars of patients with severe jaw clenching/grinding habits and made using either CAD/CAM machines in dental offices or laboratory.
Feldspathic Porcelain Crowns
Dr. Marsel is one of the premier porcelain crown specialists in Los Angeles and has completed over 10,000 successful porcelain crowns that look incredible and last up to 30 years in his patients’ mouths. Using crowns to rebuild teeth damaged from heavy grinding or clenching, he uses his artistic talent to transform these damaged and worn-down smiles into gorgeous youthful looking smiles with excellent functional bite (occlusion).
Porcelain crowns come in either feldspathic or pressed ceramic forms. Feldspathic porcelain has long been used, as its appearance mimics that of natural teeth with subtle yet translucent qualities. These crowns can be directly adhered to natural tooth surfaces (to preserve color transmission), or placed over an additional core like Zirconia for extra support.
Zirconia is an extremely strong and durable material similar to what is used for hip replacements. It can be milled thin for precise fitting without needing to remove large amounts of natural tooth structure; color matching with surrounding teeth is also possible with zirconia.
Zirconia crowns are an excellent solution for patients suffering from extreme teeth grinding or clenching, while they also can create an aesthetic lifelike translucent effect in front teeth requiring lifelike and translucent appearances. Feldspathic porcelain may be recommended in these instances.
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