Are you having problems with your teeth? Are the teeth decaying at a rapid rate? You need to see a doctor at the right time. Because if you consult the doctor too late, your teeth may get affected.
Doctors generally suggest filling and root canaling to avoid the decaying from depth. Sometimes the dentist indicates that only the filling is not safe without the crown.
When is a dental crown needed?
Dental crowns (also called caps) are used to support a heavily decayed, badly damaged or root canal treated tooth.
Crowns protect the tooth from further decays and damages, they also help the tooth to withstand the biting and chewing forces.
The latest advancement and use of technology in dental treatment have brought several improvements to the field.
Types of crowns available
Metal and resin crowns were the first to use in modern dentistry.
Resin crowns are not used nowadays. Even though they look great, their average lifetime is only 1-3 year, while other crown types last 5-15 years or even more.
Metal crowns are durable and get the job done perfectly, however they are not esthetically pleasing and some pepole might be allergic to the metal in those crowns.
These days the advancement has ensured a different kind of crowning for your teeth. All these types are mainly different in the sense of materials used to make them.
This automatically suggests that the price range will also be diverse from one another. Here are some of the common types of crown that are in use,
- All-ceramic crowns
People prefer crowns that will look natural and have longevity; all-ceramic crowns offer all this in an affordable package.
You get your smile back with this crown, and no one will even recognize it like a crown. The peaks are very much comfortable and durable, making them more user-friendly than the other options available.
All-ceramic crowns are the newest and most advanced types of crowns. They look great and are extremely durable, ideal for both front and back tooth restorations.
Ceramic crowns are completly metal free, so they should be suitable even to people with metal allergies.
Zirconia, E-max and Lava are the most often used types of ceramic crowns.
The drawbacks of ceramic crowns are the somewhat higher price and as they are extremely though, they might wear down the opposing tooth.
Also it is hard to notice a decay under a ceramic crown, since it is so though. However if you go to dental checkups regularly, your dentist should notice such problems in time.
Ceramic is also used to manufacture same day crowns. These crowns are milled from a monolithic block in the dentist office using a CAD/CAM milling machine.
Instead of the traditional dental crown procedure, which can take two weeks and requires two appointments, same day crowns can be done during a single visit, within one or two hours.
You need to make an appointment with the dentist; if you have blood in your gums, black marks at places in your mouth, severe pain in your teeth, and more, you should consult the doctor and, if needed, go for the crown.
Make sure the height you choose is of quality and suits your requirement. It should be flexible enough for regular use.
- Gold Crowns
The crowns made of gold are not that common, but it can be done if you wish to.
Despite its esthetic drawbacks, many dentists like gold as this material is highly biocompatible, very durable and doesn’t facilitate plaque and bacteria accumulation.
According to professionals, gold dental crowns are not that famous due to the cap’s awkward golden color. People do not quite like such a golden capping inside their mouth.
But this type of crown can maintain your teeth’ structure well and calls for excellent health overall.
Dentists offer different kinds of facilities in gold crowns, like full crowns to cover the whole teeth up to gum. Then you can use gold crown inlay for the specific place where the filling has been done or an on-lay crown to reduce the width of the particular teeth.
To overcome the esthetic disadvantages of gold crowns, a porcelain layer can be fused on the gold, which makes the crown look like your natural teeth. Such crowns are called porcelain fused to metal crowns.
- Porcelain-fused-to-metal crown (pfm)
It is known as a hybrid crowning as it combines metal and ceramic both materials to create the caps for covering the decaying or filled in teeth.
It comes out like a regular tooth in your mouth as both the alloy and the ceramic makes it durable, and your smile remains intact.
Though ceramic crowns also provide durability, pfm crowns are unique because they offer general strength like a natural tooth and the outlook.
Pfm crowns are more esthetic than gold crowns, however they are not as esthetic as ceramic crowns. This is because over time a small black line near the gums may appear, therefore these crowns are less often used nowadays for front teeth restorations.
Pfm crowns used to be the most widely used type of crowns, however their popularity is constantly decreasing as all-ceramic crowns get more and more popular.
Which type of crown should you choose?
This is something you need to discuss with your dentist, who knows your specific needs and dental health.
In general it is safe to say that nowadays all-ceramic crowns are the recommended option for most restorations. However they are a bit more expensive than other crown types, so if you are on a budget, you may want to consider other crown types.
Gold crowns are rarely used, because of their esthetic drawbacks. Unless the patient specifically asks for a gold crown, a pfm crown is a better option.
Porcelain fused to metal crowns are a bit more affordable than ceramic crowns. However, it’s good to know, that not all pfm crowns are equal.
The metal in these crowns can be either a base metal alloys, that includes metals like nickel or the porcelain can be fused to gold.
If you are about to get a pfm crown, it’s a good idea to ask your dentist about the metal used in the crown. Base metals are cheaper, however they might cause allergic reactions for some people. High noble metal crowns (i.e. gold) are unlikely to cause any problems, however their price will be somewhat higher.
As you can see, every crown type has its pros and cons, as a patient, the choice is up to you that which will you choose for yourself.
Considering your general oral health, budget and personal preferences, your dentist will help you make the best decision.