Metal-ceramics or zirconium crowns: what to choose

Metal-ceramic crown

This is a prosthetic structure consisting of a metal frame and a ceramic coating applied to it. It is made from nickel-chromium or cobalt-chromium alloy. The crowns are very durable, and thanks to the ceramic veneer, it is possible to imitate the natural color and shine of teeth.

Advantages:

• affordable price;
• aesthetically attractive appearance;
• ability to withstand heavy chewing loads;
• resistance to deformation and displacement;
• does not cause irritation of the mucous membrane;
• does not fade over time;
• is settling in well.

Flaws:

• before installing the prosthesis, it is necessary to grind the teeth (up to 2 mm around the entire circumference);
• Depulping is mandatory;
• there is a risk of exposing the crown frame;
• translucency of the base is observed when the ceramic layer is naturally erased.

What is a dental bridge and metal ceramics?

The prosthesis acquired its name due to its structural features. Several crowns combined into a single unit are attached to supporting teeth or implants. In most cases, the supports are located at the edges, and the central crowns are in a “suspended” state. A more high-tech and effective alternative to bridges has become the installation of implants. However, this approach requires an operation to implant one or more implants into the bone, which is quite expensive.

The metal-ceramic bridge has a rigid one-piece metal frame, which is responsible for its strength and ability to withstand significant loads. The surface is covered with layers of ceramics, making the structure look aesthetically pleasing.

Zirconium crown

This is the latest development in the field of dental prosthetics. The crown contains no metal elements; the frame is made of zirconium dioxide, and the outer covering is made of porcelain enamel.

Advantages:

• hypoallergenic;
• low likelihood of rejection and negative reactions;
• crowns are perceived by the body as bone tissue, since their physical and chemical properties are very similar;
• teeth need to be ground down only 0.4 mm;
• minimal risk of inflammatory processes;
• high strength (zirconium crowns are 30 times stronger than metal-ceramics);
• resistance to coloring with food dyes;
• natural appearance;
• painless and fairly simple installation.

Flaws:

• high price;
• complex and labor-intensive manufacturing technology.

Advantages of seeking prosthetics at the KRAVMED clinic

• We use only high-quality materials and the latest crown manufacturing technologies, which avoids side effects and makes it possible to obtain a prosthesis that best suits the shape of the ground tooth.
• For veneering metal-ceramic crowns, only premium imported ceramic masses are used. They have high strength, reliability, and aesthetics.
• When taking impressions, our specialists use only high-precision A-class silicone impression mass. In this case, it is possible to obtain the most accurate relief of the dental cavity and produce a high-quality crown.
• To fix finished crowns, we use high quality materials, which is confirmed by relevant certificates.
• By collaborating with ceramic mass manufacturers and gaining work experience abroad, we independently produce crowns using the most modern methods and use the best practices in the world.
• The dental technicians working in our clinic are high-level specialists and have more than 10 years of experience in their industry. By contacting us for help, you can really get what you dreamed of - beautiful, durable, reliable metal-ceramic crowns.

We will be glad to see you among our clients! We invite you to sign up now for a free consultation with our orthopedic dentist.

How does the crown installation process work?

Metal-ceramic dental prosthetics is a long process that takes several stages. First, the patient will have to cure caries and other diseases of the oral cavity, then the enamel will be ground down and the nerve will be removed (if necessary). After this, an impression is made of the prepared tooth, which will be sent to a dental laboratory to make a crown (this can take up to 2 weeks). Then the fitting and adjustment of the structure is carried out.

The process of installing zirconium crowns is as follows:

1. The patient undergoes an initial examination of the oral cavity by an orthodontist; if inflammatory processes are detected, further treatment will be required.
2. The doctor grinds the tooth for the future crown and makes silicone impressions.
3. The impressions are sent to the dental laboratory. The crown is modeled on a computer and then manufactured using high-precision milling equipment. The finished prosthesis is fired and painted.
4. The crown is installed in the oral cavity using cement mortar. The procedure takes from 30 minutes to 3 hours.

Preparation for preparation

There are several stages of preparation for the procedure.

1. At the initial stage, an x-ray of all teeth is taken. It is used to analyze their structure and the condition of bone tissue. The relief of the tooth surface is studied, the thickness of the walls, and the presence or absence of a nerve in the canal are determined.
2. The anatomical shape of the tooth is analyzed and possible complications in the soft tissues are assumed.
3. An anesthesia procedure is performed provided there is a nerve in the tooth. If he is already dead and there are no other reasons for this, anesthesia is not necessary.
4. Those areas of dental tissue that are affected by caries are removed. Such cleaning guarantees that the crown will serve for a long time and during the period of its use there will be no additional complications in the tooth tissues and gums.

Before the procedure, you need to take an x-ray of all teeth.

Quality indicators of materials

Good to know. Many patients are not satisfied with the high cost of zirconium crowns, so they choose metal-ceramics as a cheaper option.

Adhesive bridge prosthesis –

An adhesive bridge is a temporary structure with a service life of up to 2 years. It is made of fiberglass tape (it stretches from one supporting tooth to another, serving as a stiffening rib), and conventional composite filling material (Fig. 31-34). Such designs are characterized by low reliability, but at the same time they can be quite aesthetic (although their aesthetics will not last too long).

Stages of manufacturing an adhesive prosthesis –

Adhesive bridges: reviews

• The advantages of adhesive dentures include: firstly, rapid production directly in the patient’s mouth in an average of 1.5 hours, and secondly, lower cost (compared to other types of bridges). The cost of an adhesive bridge will be from 13,000 rubles.

Disadvantages of adhesive prostheses –

• can be made only with a single missing tooth,
• Canines and molars (3,6,7 teeth) cannot be restored,
• low reliability (service life up to 2 years),
• To fix the fiberglass beam, it is necessary to create platforms (ledges) on adjacent teeth, thus compromising the integrity of the teeth.

Is it possible to put metal ceramics and zirconium on implants?

Crowns made from these materials can be placed on implants. If we are talking about prosthetics for the front teeth, it is better to choose a ceramic prosthesis, the abutment of which is made of zirconium dioxide. When restoring teeth in the lateral jaw, metal ceramics and zirconium can be used.

It is important to know. If you decide to install metal-ceramic dentures, be prepared for the fact that your teeth will be severely ground and depulped.

To install crowns made of metal ceramics or zirconium dioxide, you can contact the Saint-Dent Clinic in Moscow. It employs qualified specialists with extensive experience in providing dental services. You can find out about the prices for installing dentures in this PRICES section. The clique's contacts are located here CONTACTS.

Care

Daily oral hygiene after installation of metal ceramics is no different from usual. Care involves brushing your teeth in the morning and evening, and, if possible, after each meal. In this case, it is necessary to follow the cleaning rules: the sweeping movements of the brush should be directed from the gums to the cutting edge; the care of metal-ceramic teeth should be completed with dental floss, and ideally, treatment with an irrigator. If you are interested in the question of how to clean metal ceramics, then everything is simple: with the same thing you use to clean your own teeth, that is, with a soft brush that does not harm your gums, and a paste that your dentist will help you choose based on your individual characteristics of the oral cavity. If during cleaning or at any other time you feel that your teeth under the crown hurt, contact your dentist immediately; secondary caries may have developed under the denture, or the carious cavity was not treated thoroughly enough.

How do MRI and metal-ceramics compare? We hasten to reassure you: metal-ceramic crowns do not deform or move under the influence of a magnetic resonance imaging scanner, however, they can provoke an image defect in the image, so always warn the doctor who prescribes an MRI for you.

Situations are different, and sometimes restoration of metal ceramics is required. This occurs when the crown is mechanically damaged. If metal ceramics break off in your mouth, the orthopedist will first of all assess the extent of the problem - how large a piece was broken off. And here he is primarily interested in whether the metal frame is exposed or not. The fact is that restoring a minor chip is quite possible, including using composite materials. At the same time, restoring metal ceramics in the oral cavity when the frame is exposed is, in most cases, no longer possible. In such a situation, it will most likely be necessary to remove old structures and install new ones. Also, do not forget that timely replacement of metal-ceramics will help to avoid unforeseen problems, such as falling out crowns or their splitting.

Possible problems and complications

Possible negative consequences

If the doctor prepares the tooth incorrectly, the patient may experience severe discomfort or other complications.

1. If the preparation procedure is carried out carelessly, the integrity of the tooth may be compromised. This in turn leads to irritation of the pulp and the formation of edema. This complication goes away without a trace over time.
   Read also:  How clasp prosthetics is performed, its capabilities, types

   If the doctor prepares the tooth incorrectly, swelling of the gums may occur.

2. After the anesthesia wears off, pain in the tooth or gum may occur. What are the reasons for this phenomenon? First of all, this means that the preparation was carried out on a living tooth. Increased sensitivity may occur due to thinning of the tooth walls after grinding. The tooth begins to react sharply to various external factors. They can be taste, temperature factors, physical effects. To correct this phenomenon, an additional portion of cementing material is applied to the surface of the sensitive part of the tooth.
3. When manipulations are carried out deep in the gum, for example, when forming a ledge, it is necessary to expand the visible working area. For these purposes, a special thread is used. With its help, the edges of the gums are moved back. Sometimes this effect on soft tissue can cause pain and swelling of the gums. Usually these symptoms do not last long and disappear on their own after some time.

   Gum retraction

4. If more time has passed and these symptoms have not gone away, it may be a more serious complication and treatment is necessary.

Which crown to choose: expert recommendations

• Both zirconium and metal-ceramic crowns have good functionality and an attractive appearance. Therefore, the main factor when choosing a prosthesis will be the material component, since the difference in price is quite significant.
• Zirconium dioxide crowns are ideal for prosthetics on dental implants. But if the patient suffers from increased abrasion of the tooth surface, it is better not to place them, as this may further aggravate the situation.
• Metal ceramics are more suitable for chewing teeth. If the patient’s financial capabilities allow him to install zirconium prostheses, it is better to give them preference. They have better characteristics and will last longer than metal-ceramic dentures.

Solid-cast bridges –

A solid-cast bridge is the most cost-effective type of prosthetics.
Accordingly, its main disadvantage will be unsatisfactory aesthetics (polished metal). Therefore, solid bridges are used mainly only in the area of ​​chewing teeth, i.e. outside the smile line. The cost of 1 unit of such a bridge will be from 5,000 to 6,000 rubles, and thus a bridge of 3 units will cost you approximately 15,000 rubles. Solid dental bridge: photo

The advantage of solid-cast bridges is that the supporting teeth are ground down for crowns to a slightly lesser extent than for metal-ceramics. Of course, this guarantees greater preservation of the hard tooth tissues under the crown, as well as a longer service life. In some cases, at the request of the patient, plastic overlays can be made on the front side of the crowns on one or all of the crowns of a solid-cast bridge. This will certainly improve the aesthetics, but it is not very reliable, and in addition, the plastic will gradually lose its aesthetic qualities.

Contraindications

This prosthetic method cannot be used for:

• periodontal disease;
• bruxism (in this case, it is important to first correct the condition or cure the disease, otherwise the structure may damage the teeth that come into contact with the crown when the jaws close);
• malocclusion;
• allergic reactions to metals and alloys;
• shortened crown parts of teeth;
• periodontitis is a temporary contraindication that requires preliminary treatment of the disease.

How painful is the preparation?

The procedure for grinding dental tissues is unpleasant and quite painful. Modern methods of anesthesia can completely relieve the patient of discomfort.

• Frequent urination or why do I pee so often?

When using anesthesia, the patient will not feel any discomfort during the tooth preparation process.

There are cases when pain in a tooth or gum may occur after preparation, when the effect of the painkiller stops. The reason for this phenomenon lies in the removal of a thick ball of dental tissue. The tooth may hurt when touched, under the influence of thermal factors, or from the influence of food. Only a doctor can correct the situation. Temporary crowns are used for this: they protect the ground tooth from increased sensitivity.

Temporary crowns will protect the tooth from the influence of external factors

Another cause of pain after preparation may be the use of dental floss. It is used to increase the visible working area when carrying out various manipulations. When using it, the doctor presses on the soft tissue between the tooth and gum. This may damage them. Pain appears. It usually disappears on its own within two days.

Important! If the pain does not go away, you should consult a doctor for examination and further treatment.

Pain may be felt after gum retraction, but will subside within a few days

Dissection in children: features

Performing this procedure in children is not an easy task. It is complicated by fear in young patients of dental office equipment, especially the sight of a drill and even its sound during operation. The structure of baby teeth is anatomically different from permanent teeth - this does not make it possible to carry out such manipulations with them. Dentists are looking for other methods of treating baby teeth with caries.

Children can have their teeth prepared only to treat any pathologies.

The chemical method is one such method. The procedure itself does not cause fear or other unpleasant sensations in children. Therefore, the doctor can focus on the procedure itself, and not on persuading small patients.

Interesting! In addition, chemical preparations make it possible to treat the cavity of a tooth affected by caries quite efficiently.

Will it hurt when turning?

The word “grinding” used to sound scary coming from a dentist. Today, the preparation process does not last long and takes place without any discomfort or pain. Before starting the procedure, the doctor will “freeze” the mucous membrane with a special gel, and the patient will not feel the injection with a good local anesthetic at all. Anesthesia is used both in the case of working with living units (in order to “turn off” for a while the nerve that is sensitive to any manipulation) and with “dead” units in which the nerve is absent. After all, turning involves a very painful retraction of the gums.