Ceramic Crown: A Popular Choice For Permanent Restoration
Playing an essential role in restoring the function and appearance of damaged teeth while protecting them from decay and further harm, dental crowns are considered a groundbreaking invention in maintaining and ensuring oral health. Made from materials such as resin, metal, ceramic, and metal-ceramic combinations, the most popular choice remains ceramic crowns due to their durability, natural aesthetics, biocompatibility, and safety for patients.
What Is Ceramic Crown?
A Ceramic Crown is a dental restoration made entirely from a refined type of clay, commonly referred to as dental porcelain. It is used to cover and protect damaged or weakened teeth, restoring their structure, shape, function, and aesthetics. One of the main advantages of ceramic crowns is that they are metal-free, making them an excellent choice for patients with metal allergies or those who simply prefer a more natural-looking restoration.
Ceramic crowns are employed to address various dental issues, such as:
- Protecting weak or cracked teeth,
- Restoring broken teeth,
- Securing a dental bridge,
- Covering a dental implant,
- Concealing severe discoloration, and more.
Ceramic Crowns are popular not only for their exceptional aesthetics but also for their durability, high resistance to temperature changes, and ability to reduce sensitivity to hot or cold stimuli.
4 Types Of Ceramic Crown
Lithium Disilicate Crown
Renowned for their natural appearance, durability, and strength, Lithium Disilicate crowns are considered the most advanced version of ceramic crowns to date. These crowns are highly resilient, with a high flexural strength that enables them to withstand significant biting and chewing forces.
The glass-ceramic crystals allow for the creation of thin, lightweight restorations with a translucency that mimics the way light passes through natural teeth, achieving the most lifelike color match. For this reason, they are particularly favored for restoring front teeth, where aesthetics are paramount.
Solid Or Monolithic Zirconia
Solid or Monolithic Zirconia is commonly used for posterior dental restorations due to its nearly unbreakable strength. With flexural strength comparable to traditional PFM (Porcelain-Fused-to-Metal) restorations, Solid/Monolithic Zirconia represents a remarkable improvement, offering the most robust solution for high-stress restoration areas or for patients with bruxism (teeth grinding).
Additionally, it provides a precise fit and comes in a variety of shades to match adjacent teeth, delivering a natural aesthetic while ensuring exceptional durability.
High Translucent Zirconia
High translucent zirconia are Made from highly biocompatible materials, these restorations promote a healthy response to the surrounding tissues. They are often used for single anterior and posterior restorations due to their relatively lower flexural strength.
On the other hand, their lifelike translucency and ability to blend seamlessly with the color of adjacent teeth allow for a perfect match to any shade. This gives them the exceptional aesthetics of Lithium Disilicate while offering greater stability and durability.
Leucite Reinforced Pressable Porcelain Crowns
Leucite-reinforced pressable porcelain crowns are famous for combining high durability with great aesthetics. These crowns have high translucency and can transmit shade from adjacent teeth, allowing them to match the shade of the surrounding teeth even in the most difficult cases. These crowns can mimic a natural appearance but are not as durable as the other options.
Top Reasons to Choose a Ceramic Crown
- Durability: Ceramic crowns are highly durable and long-lasting. They can withstand the pressure and force of biting and chewing, making them a reliable choice for dental crowns. Furthermore, ceramic crowns are less likely to chip or crack compared to other types, such as porcelain or metal crowns.
- Biocompatibility: Ceramic crowns are made from biocompatible materials and are 100% metal-free, making them less likely to cause allergic reactions or gum irritation. This makes them an ideal choice for patients with sensitive gums or metal allergies. Opting for a ceramic crown can help reduce discomfort and create a more pleasant dental experience.
- Aesthetic Appearance: Unlike metal crowns or porcelain-fused-to-metal crowns, ceramic crowns come in various shades that can match your natural tooth color, making them virtually indistinguishable from your other teeth. This allows you to maintain a natural, aesthetically pleasing smile even after getting a crown.
- Preservation of tooth structure: Ceramic crowns require less removal of tooth structure compared to other types of crowns, such as metal or PFM crowns. This means that more of your natural tooth can be preserved, which benefits your dental health in the long run. On the other hand, ceramic crowns cover the entire structure of the natural tooth, providing an excellent fit that prevents exposure to food and beverages. This helps protect the natural tooth structure from bacteria, decay, and further damage.
- Stain Resistance and Non-conductivity: Ceramic crowns are highly resistant to staining and discoloration due to their smooth surface and self-cleaning properties. Additionally, the ceramic material is not affected by chemical factors, preventing oxidation and color changes over time, helping it maintain a natural appearance for many years. Ceramic crowns also do not conduct heat, electricity, or cold like metal crowns, which can be beneficial for patients with sensitive teeth or those who experience discomfort when exposed to extreme temperatures.
The Procedure For Getting Ceramic Crown
Similar to other types of dental restorations, the process of making a ceramic crown follows a procedure consisting of the following basic steps:
Preparation
After the examination, consultation, and X-ray, as well as selecting the appropriate type of ceramic crown, the dentist will proceed with reducing the size of the natural tooth to create space for the crown. Depending on the type of ceramic crown being used, the dentist will remove more or less of the tooth structure to ensure the crown fits properly.
Impression
After shaping the tooth, the dentist will take an impression to send to the laboratory for custom ceramic crown fabrication. The impression can be taken using traditional methods (impression tray) or digital techniques. The impression helps accurately capture the shape and size of the tooth, ensuring a perfect fit for the crown.
Temporary Crown
While waiting for your permanent ceramic crown, a temporary crown made of acrylic or stainless steel will be placed on your prepared tooth. This temporary crown protects the tooth and helps maintain both its function and appearance.
Permanent crown
After the technician fabricates the ceramic crown based on your impression and sends it back to the clinic, you will return to have the permanent crown placed. The dentist will remove the temporary crown and check the fit and color of the new crown. Some minor adjustments may be made to ensure the crown fits perfectly and matches the surrounding teeth. Once the fit is confirmed, the dentist will use a special cement to bond the crown to your tooth. Finally, a thorough examination will be done, care instructions will be provided, and a follow-up appointment will be scheduled.
Conclusion
In the era of digital dentistry, alongside the rapid development of dental products and materials, VTA continues to lead the way in providing a comprehensive and diverse range of ceramic crowns, as well as general dental restorations. Our offerings seamlessly integrate with both traditional workflows and modern digital techniques. We understand that selecting the right ceramic crown for each patient is a complex process to achieve the perfect restoration. Don’t worry about this — VTA’s team of technicians is always ready to support you in every case. Feel free to contact us today to take advantage of our special offers.