3 Things That Will Affect Your Choice of Dental Crown Material

Posted on: 30 November 2016

Dental crowns often offer an ideal solution for chipped, cracked or decayed teeth. Dental crowns will help reinforce the structure of your teeth and enhance your oral health. They will also offer you cosmetic benefits. However, your choice of dental crowns will affect how beneficial it will be as regards cosmetics and oral health aspects. The crowns come in a wide range of materials such as gold, porcelain and composite. Each of these materials is best suited for different purposes. Therefore, before choosing the dental crown material, here are a few questions to guide you.

Do You Have Tooth Grinding or Clenching Habits?

Tooth grinding and clenching habits affect the type of dental crown material that will best suit you. If you have such habits, gold is often the perfect choice. Gold is highly durable and will withstand your tooth grinding habits. In addition, compared to other metals, gold is less reactive. This means your golden dental crown will be gentle to your adjacent teeth. However, if you are sensitive or allergic to metals or have cosmetic concerns, golden dental crowns may not be the best choice.

Are The Cosmetic Results Your Primary Concern?

If you are concerned about the cosmetic benefits of your dental crown, you may want to go for full porcelain, full zirconia, or a combination of both. Porcelain dental crowns are usually more aesthetically appealing than other dental crown materials. In addition, if you have any sensitivities or allergies to metals, porcelain is your perfect choice. However, unlike their gold counterparts, porcelain restoration often requires a thicker area. This means that your tooth structure must be healthy and adequate to support the porcelain crowns. In some cases, porcelain crowns may damage the adjacent teeth.

Full zirconia crowns are usually stronger than porcelain but may not be as attractive. Compared to gold crowns, zirconia crowns may be less expensive, which is important if you are on a budget. However, if you are sensitive to metals, zirconia crowns aren't your ideal choice.

Do You Have Extreme Metal Sensitivities?

If you are extremely sensitive or allergic to metals, composite dental crowns are the most suitable options. Composite crowns are often strong and durable. In addition, they are softer than their porcelain counterparts. These crowns are also not as reactive as gold crowns. The restoration or bonding techniques of composite crowns are usually less sensitive than the porcelain techniques. This means you won't have to worry about damages to your adjacent teeth. If you are concerned about costs, these crowns are a good option because they are less expensive than gold and porcelain crowns.

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