Which Type of Crown is Best For You?

Dentist Mehmet Zahid Kazandi 2019-12-02

Different Types of Dental Crowns - Which One is the Best for You?

Dental Crowns can be applied for various reasons. They are useful for cosmetic as well as protective applications. They are attached to teeth that are discolored, decaying, or fractured. They are also used to cover the dental implants. Having a variety of applications, they are also durable, and can last for about 15 years.

Crowns sit on the teeth like a cap. They are bonded to the tooth and cover the visible tooth completely. Their application requires removal of enamel from the tooth. This is done so that they can fit on the tooth. Another reason is so that they don’t appear abnormally bigger than the natural tooth would.

Cosmetic dentistry offers several types of dental crowns. Each type is suited to a particular dental issue. These types also vary based on their cost and their lifespan. Below we try to explain the major crown types, and find which one you should choose.

Porcelain Dental Crowns

These are purely ceramic-based dental crowns. Due to their material, they appear similar to the natural teeth. They also mimic the aesthetic qualities of natural teeth. This is why they blend with other teeth once attached.

Porcelain crowns are ideal for you if you are looking for aesthetic enhancement only. Made to blend in with the teeth, they are best-suited for front teeth. Porcelain crowns are also ideal for patients who are allergic to metals.

Their drawback is that they are not as durable as the metal-based crowns. They are more prone to breaking due to the patient’s actions, like grinding. They also tend to wear the neighboring teeth down if their surface becomes rough.

Their cost varies, but for the same quality, they are the most expensive type of dental crowns.

Porcelain-Fused-to-Metal Crowns

Some patients want crowns for an improved look, while others use them for dental protection. Porcelain-fused-to-metal offer the best of both worlds. They last longer than porcelain-based crowns, and also visually enhance the look. Like porcelain-based crowns, they also prove to be good choices for the front teeth. They are also the cheapest of all main types of crowns.

Their only aesthetic drawback is the dark, metallic line that shows at the edge. Another disadvantage of these crowns is that the porcelain might break off as a result of grinding.

• Metal Supported Porcelain Crowns
• Zirconium Porcelain Crowns
• Full Porcelain Cronws

Gold Alloy Crowns

These type of crowns are a mixture of gold with copper and other metals, like nickel or chromium. Gold Alloy crowns are very durable. Unlike Porcelain-based crowns, they don’t easily fracture either. They are gentler on the opposing teeth as compared to all-porcelain crowns. They also require lesser portion of the original tooth to be removed to be bonded.

Their major disadvantage is that they don’t aesthetically blend with the rest of the teeth. This is why they are preferred for posterior teeth.

Base Metal Alloy Crowns

These are made from non-noble metals and are corrosion resistant. They are also very gentle on the opposing teeth. They have high strength and durability. Just like gold alloy crowns, they are suited more for posterior teeth. Among all crown types, these crowns require the least amount of tooth removal.

Both gold and base metal alloy crowns are a bit cheaper than the all-porcelain types for same quality. However, they cost more than metal-fused-porcelain types.