When providing a dental crown, there are many things to consider. One of the choices is to decide the type of material of the crown. Innovative modern dentistry offers a wide range of dental crowns when it comes to restorative materials for teeth. Ceramic/porcelain material is considered the best material choice for the ultimate cosmetic result. Ceramic dental crowns are mainly divided into 2 groups: Full ceramic and porcelain-fused to metal crown.
Full ceramic crown
Most common full ceramic crowns can be listed as:
- Porcelain fused to zirconia
- Full zirconia
- Dental veneer (improve the appearance of front teeth)
Thanks to improvements in the beauty, strength, and durability of porcelain material, cosmetic restorations mimic the natural look of teeth far better than any crown. Restoration teeth are able to blend into your existing dentistry, which is hardly noticeable. In addition, opacity and biocompatibility are regarded as esthetic strengths making full ceramic crowns a good choice to achieve patients’ desired aesthetic results.
Porcelain-fused to metal crown (PFM)
In the use of metal as a base for porcelain dental restorations, porcelain fused to metal crowns offer the best combination between the strength and durability of metal and the aesthetic benefits of porcelain. The structure is porcelain is fused and stacked in layers on top of an alloy base
- Porcelain fused to Ni-Cr
- Porcelain fused to Cr-Co
- Porcelain fused to Titanium
- Porcelain fused to precious metal
- Porcelain fused to semi-precious metal
Advantages:
- Greater strength, durability, ability to absorb the pressure compared to full ceramic crown
- Porcelain fused to base metal cost is reasonable
- Porcelain fused to high-noble alloy is highly biocompatible due to its low-reactivity with human tissue and resistance to corrosion and oxidation. Highly-noble alloy substructure ensures the most precise crown fit and the most predictable bond with porcelain. That’s why porcelain fused to high-noble alloy is costly.
Disadvantages:
- Opacity caused by metal substructure makes porcelain look less lifelike
- When PFM crowns are placed on anterior teeth, the “dark-line” visibility at the gumline that show a dark metal edge at the gumline due to gum recession is unavoidable
