What Is Zirconia, and What Are its Benefits?
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Zirconia is a white solid ceramic glaze and one of several newer materials that combine metal's strength with the aesthetic, tooth-like appeal of porcelain. And zirconia crowns are continually being developed to further improve their performance.
Some of the benefits of zirconium crowns are:
They resemble the color of teeth with excellent esthetic results.They can be fabricated in the dentist's office and need less preparation than other materials, meaning you can be fitted for your crown and have it placed in one appointmentZirconia can be layered with porcelain for an even more tooth-like aesthetic.These crowns can be bonded or cemented to your tooth, giving your dentist more options for your specific needs.Zirconia is biocompatible – it won't cause any adverse reactions in your body making themm the best material for restoring teeth and implants.
Durability.
Being made of crystal, zirconia is nearly indestructible, easily withstanding the most vigorous chewing and biting activities. In fact, zirconia is five times as strong as porcelain! Zirconia crowns are milled in a way that they are nearly indestructible. They are also resistant to extreme hot and cold temperatures, which lowers the frequency of tooth hypersensitivity that can be common with other types of crowns.
Long-lasting.
Going along with its durability, zirconia crowns also last longer than porcelain crowns. This is, mainly due to zirconia being more resistant to chipping and cracking.
Can be easily modified, reshaped and colored.
Despite their strong structure, zirconia crowns can be easily shaped, sized and colored to match the natural teeth of the patient. It is thought that the malleable nature of zirconia crowns can produce crowns that are shaped better than the original crown that it replaces. The ability to create the perfect shape, size and color produces a much better, more natural look for the patient.
Less tooth structure has to be removed.
Typically, when a crown is needed, a layer of the original tooth is removed for the crown to fit over it properly. The strength of zirconia means that a thinner layer of it is required for the crown. A thinner crown results in less of the original tooth to be removed.
Aesthetically pleasing.
Zirconia crowns are translucent being made from crystal. The clear, translucent appearance of zirconia allows for the perfect tooth coloring that best matches the patient’s natural tooth color, better than gold or porcelain crowns.
No metal is needed.
Unlike gold or porcelain crowns, zirconia crowns don’t require to be fused with a metal base which make traditional crowns more noticeable.
Zirconia crowns give you the comfort, security, feel, durability and appearance of natural teeth.
For what purposes are zirconia crowns used?
Zirconia crowns are used in the treatment of aesthetic advanced discolorations that cannot be treated with methods such as bleaching; hereditary discoloration, for diastema and rotated or slightly crowded teeth for which orthodontic treatment is not preferred, for the restoration of discolored and eroded teeth with old fillings and teeth with severe loss of substance, as a dental bridge or crowning in the molars, in the incisor implant-supported prostheses, and in smile design.
What are the advantages of zirconia crown?
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In just 13 years since its introduction, zirconia has become one of the best options for dental restorations, meeting a wide range of patient needs. The following are some of the best zirconia crown advantages that drive providers to choose the material for restorations.
One of the best qualities of zirconia is how well it reacts with the body. For starters, zirconia is completely metal-free, eliminating the risk of patient allergies that comes with PFM restorations. As a result, zirconia provides an excellent alternative to PFM. All of this makes zirconia incredibly beneficial.
The gum tissue also responds positively to the chemical composition of zirconia, creating a comfortable experience for the patient. The structure of zirconia also makes it highly customizable. For example, the PRO-Craft custom natural anatomical library allows for the morphology of natural teeth, providing an ideal fit and maximum comfort for each patient.
At PRO-Craft Dental Laboratory, our unique hand-pumicing and polishing technique also makes our zirconia crowns better for your surrounding teeth by reducing the chances of wear on your opposing teeth from chewing or friction.
In addition to the peace of mind that comes from comfort and biocompatibility. Zirconia is strong and durable enough to withstand the daily forces of biting. In fact, zirconia is the strongest material for esthetic dental crowns when compared to porcelain or PFM restorations.
Zirconia crowns feature a resistance of around 1000 MPa. This amount of strength makes the crowns more resistant to chipping. As a result, your patients can bite and chew with complete confidence, enjoying the functionality of a real tooth. If cared for properly, zirconia crowns could likely last up to 20 years, or even a lifetime.
Zirconia is an excellent material to provide your patient with natural-looking restorations. When restorations first started using zirconia 13 years ago, they were only available in opaque unnatural shades and not as realistic as lithium disilicate options.
However, the appearance of zirconia restorations has become more realistic in recent years, featuring ways to get a more transparent appearance that is more akin to a natural tooth. Again, zirconia is pretty new to the dental world, so the technology for zirconia restorations will only get more realistic as time goes on.
How do the zirconia crowns adjust to the gums?
Zirconia is a tissue-compatible material. The purplish discoloration of the gums in the neck of the tooth, which is observed after the use of metal-supported prostheses, never occurs. They do not cause gingival recession. If a gingival recession occurs due to incorrect toothbrushing, zirconia crowns will not create an unaesthetic appearance.
Can it be applied to those who are allergic to metal?
Compared to conventional metal alloys, zirconium does not cause metal allergy since it does not contain metal.
Will zirconia crowns cause a bad taste or oral malodor in my mouth?
They do not cause taste change in the mouth and it is predicted that they will not cause oral malodor.
Will zirconia crowns cause a change in the color of the teeth in the future?
Since their surface is smooth and non-porous, they do not cause plaque buildup. Therefore, they are not discolored because of coffee, tea, and cigarette, and therefore, their color is preserved.
How should I care for my zirconium crowns?
Zirconium teeth are brushed in the same way as natural teeth. Floss should be used for their care and superfloss should be used for toothless areas. In order to foresee problems and take necessary precautions, the patient should come to biannual appointments.
For how long can I use the zirconia crowns?
You can use them for years if you have them checked up regularly. As teeth are living tissue, you may observe changes in their shape over time due to wear and tear. Those changes are not observed in zirconia crowns. However, they may need to be replaced in order to adjust to the changes.
Does their replacement damage my teeth?
Because the crowns are clipped, you will not feel any discomfort. Zirconium does not cause tissue loss on your teeth.
How much substance loss occurs during the procedure?
Substance loss is much less compared to the porcelain crowns reinforced with metal. Wear of 1 to 1.5 mm occurs on the surface of your teeth.
Will I feel any pain during the process?
The trim process is performed under local anesthesia. With the installation of crowns, tingling caused by hot or cold will be prevented.
Will I have aesthetic problems during the treatment?
Especially, the temporary crowns installed to your front teeth would be similar to your permanent zirconium crowns in form. These crowns, which are made of acrylic, are not fracture-resistant; however, their color and shape substantially resemble your natural teeth.
How long does the treatment with this aesthetic dentistry application take?
With patients who have healthy gums, the treatment is completed within a week. Upon the request of the patient, it is possible to have several try-in sessions until both the dentist and the patient are pleased with the result.
Is there an age restriction for this application?
This treatment can be applied to patients at any age who experienced permanent teeth eruption. However, for the patients who get treatment at ages up to 18 and 20, the crowns need to be regularly replaced as gaps between the teeth will form due to jaw development. Therefore, this treatment is not recommended to patients at those ages.
How durable is it compared to porcelain and metal crowns?
Thanks to the developments in the relevant technologies in recent years, zirconium crowns and bridges are as durable as metal-based crowns and bridges.
Is fracture or falling off of the zirconium crowns frequently seen?
Fractures or cracks may form after being subjected to excessive force but this is nearly as possible as with natural teeth. They can be almost completely treated in the clinic environment. The crown may fall off if there is a great deal of substance loss in the tooth over time due to decay. In such cases, the tooth is treated if possible and the crown is installed again.
Can zirconia crowns be installed to those who have gingival diseases?
Zirconia crowns can be installed after any existing gingival disease is treated.
Since 2013- Dr Stavros Kelogrigoris Paphos Dental Clinic.