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Dental crowns have long been a cornerstone in restorative dentistry, and among the various dental crown types, zirconia crowns are gaining significant attention. When it comes to restoring a damaged tooth, zirconia crowns are among the top choices for dentists throughout the world. This is because of the lifelike aesthetics, strength and durability of zirconia.
Since this is a relatively new material, many patients are curious regarding the composition and uses of zirconia crowns. This article explains everything you need to know about zirconia as a material for making dental crowns.
Let's dive right in!
1) Zirconia crowns are metal-free
Zirconia crowns are completely metal-free, making them an excellent choice for patients with metal allergies or sensitivities. Zirconia dental crowns are made from zirconium dioxide, a highly durable and biocompatible material. Derived from zirconium as a powdered white metal oxide, zirconia is classified as a ceramic material. Its use in crowns is favoured within the oral cavity due to exceptional durability, chemical inertness and safety compared to other types of ceramics.
Unlike metal or porcelain-fused-to-metal crowns, zirconia crowns do not contain any metal, making them hypoallergenic and suitable for patients with metal sensitivities.
2) Zirconia crowns have high strength and durability
Zirconia possesses exceptional strength, making it capable of enduring significant chewing forces, especially in the back teeth where pressure is most pronounced during eating and grinding. This inherent strength allows zirconia crowns to effectively withstand these forces without chipping, cracking or wearing down over time.
With proper care, zirconia crowns can last 10-15 years or even longer, making them a cost-effective option in the long run.
3) Zirconia crowns are stain-resistant
Zirconia crowns are significantly stronger than porcelain crowns, making them less prone to chipping and cracking. Zirconia crowns are known for their exceptional stain resistance, a significant advantage in dental restorations. This stain resistance helps zirconia crowns maintain their natural appearance over time, keeping them looking aesthetically pleasing and minimising the need for frequent polishing or maintenance.
4) Zirconia crowns are highly aesthetic
Zirconia, being naturally white, offers a natural and aesthetically pleasant look to the crowns, have a more translucent quality, closely mimicking the appearance of natural teeth. and other prostheses prepared from it. This is why zirconia crowns are the material of choice among dentists and patients when aesthetics and superior strength are required, especially when restoring the back teeth. Due to these features, teeth restored with zirconia crowns are virtually indistinguishable from natural teeth.
5) They are CAD/CAM milled
Well, how are dental crowns made? Perhaps the biggest advantage of zirconia crowns is their preparation using CAD/CAM (Computer-Aided Design/Computer-Aided Manufacturing) milling technology, which offers several benefits over conventional dental crowns prepared in a dental laboratory such as:
- Same-Day Crowns – Zirconia crowns can be prepared on the same day! So, you don’t have to wait for days or weeks to get your teeth restored as in the case of conventionally prepared crowns.
- Precision – To fabricate a Zirconia crown, digital impressions are first taken and they are fed into software to digitally design the crowns. Finally, the crowns are milled using CAD-CAM technology. As a result of this digital technology, the chances of errors and imperfections, which may be encountered during laboratory processing, are eliminated. This results in durable and accurately fitting dental crowns.
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6) Layering with ceramics can be done for better aesthetics
Zirconia is naturally opaque, a quality that proves beneficial for teeth darkened by trauma, decay, or root canal treatment. These imperfections can be effectively masked with zirconia crowns, restoring a natural appearance. Ensure the crowns are made from high-quality zirconium dioxide. Additionally, zirconia can be layered with translucent glass ceramics to achieve a lifelike aesthetic outcome.
7) Ease of bonding
Zirconia crowns can be directly bonded to the natural tooth structure, thereby improving the retention and also making it a good choice in cases whereby the tooth is very broken down.
8) Minimal tooth reduction is required for Zirconia crowns
Due to the high inherent strength of zirconia crowns, they can be prepared in thinner sections in comparison to the conventional ceramic or porcelain-fused-to-metal crowns. This is advantageous as less of the tooth needs to be removed to fit the crown in. More conservation of the tooth is better as there is more strength and to reduce the risk of tooth sensitivity.
Read about porcelain-fused-to-metal crowns here.
9) Zirconia crowns are biocompatible and safe
Another great feature that comes with the zirconia crown is its biocompatibility. The material has a very low rate chance of triggering an immunological response or in other words an allergic reaction. Several studies confirm the safety of using zirconia in dentistry, making Zirconia crowns biocompatible and completely safe for use inside the oral cavity.
10) What about the disadvantages of Zirconia?
Despite the numerous benefits of the zirconia crowns, there are some disadvantages associated with this material as well:
- Opacity – As discussed earlier, zirconia crowns are opaque and have less translucency than other ceramic crowns. As a result, they tend to be less aesthetic than their ceramic counterparts and may not be suitable for restoring the front teeth.
- Abrasiveness – Zirconia is an extremely hard material. Therefore, there are chances that the zirconia crowns may abrade the opposing teeth. This can be significantly decreased when the zirconia material is properly treated and polished.
- Cost – The cost of zirconia crowns is slightly higher than conventional crown materials due to their processing and material costs.
Zirconia Crowns at Dental Designs Clinic
Zirconia dental crowns represent a remarkable advancement in dental restoration, offering a blend of durability, and biocompatibility. Whether you need crowns for molars or front teeth, zirconia crowns are a reliable and attractive option. With proper maintenance, these crowns can provide a long-lasting solution to dental restoration needs in 2024 and beyond.
At Dental Designs Clinic, we offer durable, aesthetically pleasant and natural-looking zirconia crowns to restore your teeth and to give you a charming and beautiful smile. With our technology, we can make these crowns with our in-house laboratory and usually be issued on the same day.
Ready to book an appointment for dental crowns? Just drop us a message here and we will be happy to assist!
Find Out More About Crowns at Dental Designs Clinic Here!
References
- Beuer F, Schweiger J, Eichberger M, Kappert HF, Gernet W, Edelhoff D. High-strength CAD/CAM-fabricated veneering material sintered to zirconia copings--a new fabrication mode for all-ceramic restorations. Dent Mater. 2009 Jan;25(1):121-8. doi: 10.1016/j.dental.2008.04.019. Epub 2008 Jul 11. PMID: 18620748.
- Al-Amleh B, Lyons K, Swain M. Clinical trials in zirconia: a systematic review. J Oral Rehabil. 2010 Aug;37(8):641-52. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2842.2010.02094.x. Epub 2010 Apr 9. PMID: 20406352.