Zirconia Dental Crowns

Comprehensive Guide to Zirconia Dental Crowns

Dental crowns are a common dental restoration used to restore the shape, size, and function of a damaged or decayed tooth. Zirconia dental crowns are a relatively new type of crown that has gained popularity in recent years due to their strength, durability, and natural appearance.

Our Vero Beach dentist explores zirconia crowns, offering you insights into this newer type of dental restoration.

What Are Zirconia Dental Crowns?

Zirconia dental crowns are made from zirconium oxide, a high-quality ceramic material. These crowns are known for their strength, durability, and natural tooth appearance. The zirconia closely resembles the color and translucency of the natural tooth enamel, making it a popular choice among patients.

Why Choose Vero Dental Spa for Your Dental Crowns?

At Vero Dental Spa, we pride ourselves on providing top-quality dental care in a comfortable and welcoming environment. Here’s why you should choose us for your zirconia dental crowns:

• Experienced Team: Our team of dental professionals and Vero Beach dentist has extensive restorative dentistry experience, ensuring you receive the best care possible.
• State-of-the-art Technology: We use the latest dental technology to ensure precise, efficient, and comfortable treatments.
• Personalized Care: We understand that every patient is unique, so we tailor our treatments to meet your specific needs and goals.
• Comfortable Environment: Your comfort is our priority. Our spa-like atmosphere and caring staff make every visit a pleasant experience.
• Comprehensive Services: Besides dental crowns, we offer a wide range of dental services in Vero Beach to help you achieve and maintain a healthy, beautiful smile.

Benefits of Zirconia Crowns

There are several benefits to choosing zirconia crowns. Some of the most notable advantages include:

• Durability: They’re incredibly strong and resistant to wear and tear, making them a long-lasting solution for dental restorations.
• Aesthetics: These crowns are known for their natural tooth appearance, which makes them a great option for front teeth or other visible areas of the mouth.
• Biocompatibility: Zirconia is a biocompatible material, meaning it’s less likely to cause an allergic reaction or other adverse effects in the body.
• Precision: Crowns made of zirconia can be milled with great precision using computer-aided design and manufacturing (CAD/CAM) technology, ensuring a precise fit and minimal adjustments.

Drawbacks

While zirconia crowns offer many benefits, there are also some drawbacks to consider. These include:

• Cost: Zirconia crowns can be more expensive than other types of dental crowns, due to the high cost of the material and the specialized equipment required for fabrication.
• Difficulty With Adjustments: While they can be milled with great precision, this can also make them difficult to adjust if needed.
• Potential for Chipping: While these crowns are strong, they may be prone to chipping or cracking if subjected to excessive force or trauma.
• Difficulty Bonding: They may be more difficult to bond to the tooth structure compared to other types of crowns, which can increase the risk of complications such as dislodgement or decay around the margins.

The Zirconia Crown Procedure

Getting a zirconia dental crown is a straightforward process that typically involves the following steps:

1. Initial Consultation: Your journey begins with a comprehensive dental examination. Our Vero Beach Dental team will assess the condition of your teeth and determine if a zirconia crown is the best option for you. If not, we’ll discuss other crown material or treatments.
2. Tooth Preparation: If a zirconia crown is recommended, the next step is to prepare the affected tooth. This involves removing any tooth decay and shaping the tooth to accommodate the crown.
3. Impressions: After preparation, our Vero Beach dentist takes precise impressions of your tooth. These impressions are sent to a dental lab, where your custom zirconia crown will be crafted.
4. Temporary Crown: While your permanent crown is being made, you will be fitted with a temporary crown to protect your tooth.
5. Crown Placement: Once your zirconia crown is ready, you’ll return to our dental office for its placement. The crown is carefully adjusted to ensure a perfect fit and then permanently bonded to your tooth.
6. Final Adjustments: After the crown is placed, we make any necessary adjustments to ensure that your bite is comfortable and your smile looks natural.

Zirconia Dental Crown Cost

Zirconia crowns typically cost between $1,000 to $2,500. The total cost will vary based on the following factors:

• Geographic Location: Urban areas with higher living costs generally have higher dental costs than rural areas.
• Dentist’s Experience and Reputation: Well-established dentists or specialists may charge more for their services.
• Dental Laboratory: The quality of the zirconia material and the craftsmanship of the dental lab making the crown can influence the cost.
• Additional Procedures: If other treatments or procedures are needed in conjunction with the crown placement (root canal, a dental implant, dental bridges, or gum treatments), the overall cost will increase.
• Dental Insurance: If you have dental insurance, it may cover a portion of the crown’s cost, depending on your policy.

Zirconia Crowns vs. Other Crown Options

Zirconia Crowns vs. All-Ceramic (Porcelain) Crowns

• Strength: Zirconia crowns are significantly stronger than all-ceramic or traditional porcelain crowns. This makes zirconia a better choice for restoring molars or other teeth subjected to heavy chewing forces.
• Aesthetics: Both zirconia and all-ceramic crowns offer excellent aesthetics, but zirconia crowns tend to have a slight edge due to their superior translucency and ability to blend with natural teeth. However, porcelain crowns may still be preferred in highly visible areas where maximum aesthetic appearance is the primary concern.
• Durability: Zirconia crowns are more resistant to wear and fracture than porcelain crowns. While porcelain crowns can provide a beautiful and natural look, they are more susceptible to chipping, especially in patients who grind their teeth.

Zirconia Crowns vs. Porcelain-Fused-to-Metal (PFM) Crowns

• Strength and Durability: Zirconia crowns are stronger than PFM crowns. While PFM crowns have a metal base covered with porcelain, the porcelain layer can chip or wear down over time. Zirconia, being a solid ceramic material, is less prone to such damage.
• Aesthetics: Zirconia crowns offer superior aesthetics compared to PFM crowns. The metal base of PFM crowns can sometimes create a dark line near the gum line, especially if the gums recede. Zirconia crowns, on the other hand, are metal-free and provide a more natural, lifelike appearance.
• Biocompatibility: Zirconia is highly biocompatible, reducing the risk of allergic reactions or gum irritation, which can sometimes occur with the metal in PFM crowns.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are zirconia crowns better than porcelain?

Both zirconia and porcelain crowns have their own unique set of advantages and disadvantages. Zirconia crowns are generally considered to be stronger and more durable than porcelain crowns, which makes them a better choice for patients with bruxism (teeth grinding) or other conditions that can cause excessive wear and tear on the teeth.

How long do zirconia crowns last?

When properly cared for, a zirconia crown can last 10 to 15 years. The lifespan of a zirconia crown can vary depending on factors such as the patient’s oral health and hygiene habits, their bite and chewing patterns, and the quality of the crown itself.

Do zirconia crowns look like real teeth?

Yes, zirconia crowns can be made to closely resemble natural teeth in terms of color, shape, and texture. Zirconia is a translucent material that allows light to pass through it, which helps to create a natural-looking appearance. Additionally, zirconia crowns can be customized to match the surrounding teeth in terms of shade and translucency, making them virtually indistinguishable from natural teeth.

Can zirconia crowns turn yellow?

Zirconia crowns are made of a durable material highly resistant to discoloration and staining, which is one of their advantages over other types of crowns. Like natural teeth, zirconia crowns can be affected by smoking, excessive consumption of coffee or red wine, or poor oral hygiene. To maintain the color and appearance of zirconia crowns, practice good oral hygiene habits and avoid habits that can cause discoloration.

See If Zirconia Restorations Fit Your Needs

Zirconia crowns are a strong, durable, and aesthetically pleasing type of dental crown that offers several benefits over other types of crowns. If you’re considering zirconia crowns for your dental restoration, be sure to talk to our dentists about the pros and cons of this type of crown, and whether it is the right choice for your individual needs and circumstances.

Call our Vero Beach dental office today to schedule a consultation.

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