![\"Before-and-after](\"https:\/\/www.lafayetteladentist.com\/batonrouge\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/zirconia-crowns-baton-rouge.jpg\")
While zirconia is available in a variety of shades and opacities to match your existing teeth, it is supplied as blocks of material that are milled to fit a tooth. But a natural tooth can have multiple colors in it. So, for front teeth that show in your smile, we like to have the zirconia overlaid with porcelain. A skilled ceramist can duplicate all the subtle variations in color that are present in natural teeth.<\/p>\n
When pure zirconia is used, such as for back teeth, it is called monolithic zirconia. When porcelain is baked onto the surface it is called layered zirconia.<\/p>\n
Characteristics of the crowns:<\/p>\n
- \n
- Durable<\/strong> \u2013 The extraordinarily strong ceramic protects molar teeth and withstands the forces of grinding and chewing food.<\/li>\n
- Metal-free<\/strong> \u2013 There\u2019s virtually no risk of an adverse metal reaction to a zirconia crown because it’s made of ceramic.<\/li>\n
- Versatile<\/strong> \u2013 Zirconia is available in different shades and opacities that affect how light passes through it. When a ceramist layers over the zirconia, the results are beautiful and natural looking.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Zirconia Crowns vs. Porcelain Crowns<\/h2>\n
Both zirconia and porcelain crowns are made of ceramic. What’s the difference?<\/p>\n
\n\nZirconia<\/h3>\n
- \n
- It\u2019s the strongest dental ceramic available and much stronger than porcelain.<\/li>\n
- Although it\u2019s not as natural looking as porcelain, a ceramist can bake layered porcelain onto the crown to beautifully match the color and translucence of your natural teeth.<\/li>\n
- A zirconia foundation is metal free, so it won\u2019t show a dark line at your gumline.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n
Porcelain<\/h3>\n
- \n
- It’s not as strong as zirconia.<\/li>\n
- It has lifelike beauty, color, and translucence. Porcelain mimics natural teeth so well that it’s often impossible to distinguish a porcelain crown from a natural tooth.<\/li>\n
- A metal foundation strengthens a porcelain crown. But the metal makes the porcelain look dull, and a dark line from the metal eventually shows through your gumline.<\/li>\n
- Porcelain can be bonded directly to your tooth to increase its strength. This is what we do when we create porcelain veneers.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
What\u2019s the Process?<\/h2>\n
Several steps are involved in receiving a dental crown:<\/p>\n
- Metal-free<\/strong> \u2013 There\u2019s virtually no risk of an adverse metal reaction to a zirconia crown because it’s made of ceramic.<\/li>\n