CHOOSING THE BEST ZIRCONIA CROWNS /PFM CROWNS
PFM V/s Zirconia Crowns -Which is better?
One of the best ways to save a tooth is tooth restoration or replacement, which has improved over time and offers an excellent substitution for missing, damaged, root canal-treated teeth.
The most commonly used crowns are PFM and zirconia. PFM stands for porcelain ceramic material fused on metal crowns, and zirconia is made from a ceramic called zirconium oxide. PFM crowns use metals, whereas zirconia crowns are metal free. These two provide good strength and durability.
. Let’s understand PFM v/s zirconia crowns.
PFM ( Porcelain-fused on metal crowns)
Porcelain fused to a metal crown(PFM) is made of a metal framework covered in a layer of porcelain ceramic material. A PFM dental crown is a two-layered metal-ceramic crown. Metal serves as a base layer, covered by a porcelain upper layer. These crowns are a trusted option for restoring broken or missing teeth.
Advantages of PFM Crowns
- Natural looking: Porcelain ceramic covering with a metal base can mimic a tooth colour. It helps to give a natural look to the artificial teeth.
- Strong and durable: The metal underneath the porcelain layer provides good strength to regularly bear the biting and chewing forces. A PFM crown lasts long and replaces weak and missing teeth well.
- Provides good protection: A PFM crown protects a root-canal treated, weak or damaged tooth and protects it from further damage. As a result, it helps in maintaining good tooth health.
- Cost-effective: It is more affordable than metal-free crowns. PFM crowns are made of metal and ceramic materials, making them reasonable and easy on your pocket.
- The drawbacks of PFM crowns are:
- Natural look limitation: The underlying metal is visible at the gum line, which gives a greyish shade. The metal provides strength but cannot offer a completely natural look. It could be more comfortable to smile and talk with PFM crowns.
- Allergic reaction: The metal used in the PFM crown can cause allergic reactions or sensitivity in some. It is unsuitable for people with metal allergies to replace their teeth with PFM crowns.
- Gum recession: A portion of the tooth structure must be removed to fix PFM crowns, which may cause gum recession over time. This metal under the crown becomes visible and limits the natural look of the replacement.
- Chipping & breaking: PFM crowns can easily chip or break due to the pressure of biting, chewing or grinding forces. In addition, sometimes, ceramic chips make the inner metal visible.
Zirconia Crowns
Zirconium dioxide is a highly durable substance for making zirconia crowns.
Zirconia crowns’ durability and strength are two of their main advantages.
They are perfect for tooth restorations with severely damaged & broken teeth and can easily bear the biting and chewing forces because of their exceptional hardness and resistance to wear. Zirconia crowns are the latest teeth replacement products, including crowns, bridges & implants.
Advantages of Zirconia crowns
- Strength & Durability: Zirconia is a hard substance as strong as your teeth. Zirconia crowns restore the strength & function of the broken, damaged & lost tooth.
- Natural look: Zirconia crowns offer an exact natural look and the perfect size, shape and feel of a natural tooth. They are an ideal option for replacing front and back teeth.
- Long lasting: A tooth restoration with a zirconia crown can last up to a lifetime. It serves as a good return on the investment in the treatment.
- Non-toxic: They are non-toxic, hence safe to use, especially for people with allergies or sensitivity.
- Stain resistant: Regular eating & chewing don’t stain or affect zirconia crowns. Zirconia crowns remain stain free and translucent.
Due to their better strength and durability, zirconia crowns are gaining more popularity and are often recommended by dentists for teeth replacement. Zirconia has wide varieties that suit the different requirements depending on the position of the teeth. For example, layered zirconia or high translucency zirconia suits front teeth and monolithic zirconia is used for back teeth restoration.
Zirconia crowns are preferable in the visible areas of the mouth especially the anteriors and premolars.
Zirconia dental crowns and bridges are ideal tooth replacement products with excellent strength, durability and natural-looking teeth restoration. However, every dental bridge has its advantages and concerns—several factors like teeth position, oral health, gums health and your dentist’s advice help to determine the best bridge for you.
