Qualities Needed for a Good Crown
As briefly mentioned above, there are certain qualities that most people are looking for in their crown, such as:
- Strength and durability
- Color and aesthetic appearance
- Placement method
- Cost
- Feel and sensitivity
While the order of importance for each of these characteristics will vary from person to person, there are some materials that meet high standards for many of these. One of these materials is zirconia.
Strength of Zirconia
One of the strongest crown materials, zirconia can withstand biting pressure when used on the front teeth and the strong grinding required from the back molars. It is able to last for years through the daily wear and tear that happens to all your teeth. It’s an extraordinarily tough material and so you can safely expect your crown to last for as long as you need.
Looking Good
Even without the added benefits of strength, zirconia should be at the top of your list due to its wonderful and natural appearance. It is more easily molded than porcelain, and so the shape and color of the crown can be changed to match your individual mouth perfectly. In addition, untrained eyes can have a hard time distinguishing between natural teeth and zirconia. Zirconia reflects light in a similar way to your natural teeth and therefore they look very natural.
Safety and Convenience
Zirconia is the most biocompatible material that is used to make crowns, meaning that it can stay in your mouth safely without many side effects (such as sensitivity, which is very common in other crown materials such as metals). In addition, applying a zirconia crown requires less tooth removal in preparation for application.
Prices for zirconia crowns vary, and unfortunately all of these great features come with a fairly heavy price tag. However, you may decide it is worth it. Talk to your dentist about all your options.
