Zirconium crowns

Reliable restoration of dental function and aesthetics

Long service life

Installation time — from 2 weeks

from 45 320 Rub

Modern prosthetic dentistry offers patients a variety of crown options depending on budget, aesthetics, functionality and durability. But often patients are wary of placing a crown because of the need to saw off a large portion of the tooth or even depulp a healthy tooth. With the advent of zirconia crowns, severe tooth preparation is no longer a necessity. This and other features of zirconia crowns are discussed in detail in this article.

Zirconium crowns or zirconium dioxide crowns (the correct name of the chemical formula) — are durable metal-free orthopedic structures made of a matte, translucent material. Zirconium crowns are considered one of the most reliable and have virtually no contraindications to installation. They have both the ability to withstand loads, temperature fluctuations and high aesthetics, so they are installed on the lateral chewing teeth and in the smile area.

Advantages of zirconia crowns

Benefits:

Minimal tooth preparation for the crown. Zirconium dioxide — very strong material, so crowns made of it can be thin enough to withstand loads. To install such a crown, it is enough to cut off 0.4-0.6 mm of tooth tissue, when for metal-ceramic crowns 1.5 – 2 mm is removed.
Biocompatible, does not cause allergic reactions. Unlike other crown materials, zirconia has the shortest list of contraindications, does not cause galvanic and toxic reactions. The gingiva in the area of the crown does not change color and looks natural.
High aesthetics of the material. Zircon has a perfect white color and the properties of a natural tooth surface: matte, translucent, translucent, translucent and shiny. Zircon crowns look very natural and do not change for many years.
Suitable for creating a long bridge for several teeth. Zirconium crowns are lightweight and therefore do not place excessive stress on the supporting teeth during the placement of the bridge.
Less chance of tooth decay because the base of the crown follows the exact shape of the ground tooth and fits snugly, keeping germs out.

Disadvantages:

The main disadvantage of zircon crowns — it is quite high cost. This is due to the complexity of manufacturing: the crowns are milled using CAD/CAM technology, which requires expensive equipment.

Features of zirconia crowns

In order to start fabricating a zirconia crown in the laboratory, the tooth must first be prepared for the crown. Only after the tooth has been prepared, an impression is taken of the teeth to ensure that the crown is as close to the shape and fit of your own tooth as possible.

The impressions are sent to a technical laboratory and scanned with special equipment. A computer program visualizes a 3D model of the future crown based on the impression.

A crown is milled from a single piece of zirconium oxide using CAD/CAM technology. Computer modeling and machine control allow the desired shape and size of the crown to be created to within a fraction of a millimeter. Therefore, zirconium dioxide crowns fit perfectly to the base of the teeth, soft tissues and can be quite thin.

The milled crown is additionally fired in a furnace. Under the influence of high temperatures, the structure acquires the necessary strength.

If a combined type of crown is made — zirconium dioxide with ceramic veneer, a layer of ceramic is manually applied on top of the zirconium framework and fired.

The creation of the crown is completed by giving the ceramic surface the appropriate color.

The patient can try on the crown to make sure it is the right color, shape, size, and comfort. If the crown is not suitable in any way, it will be adjusted to a perfect fit.

Types of zirconia crowns

Zirconia crowns come in two types: full zirconia and zirconia crowns with a thin ceramic coating. The former are used for restorations on lateral chewing teeth. Zirconium crowns combined with ceramics are used to restore frontal teeth. Ceramics helps to achieve a greater aesthetic effect and exactly replicate the natural appearance of the tooth: color, translucency, highlights, shade. A full zirconia crown on front teeth can stand out next to normal teeth.

Which crown is better: zirconium or metal-ceramic?

When planning orthopedic treatment, it can be difficult to choose from a wide variety of crowns. Most often, patients choose between a metal-ceramic crown or a zirconia crown.

Zirconium crowns combine high strength and natural appearance: color and translucency. Unlike zirconium crowns, metal-ceramic crowns have a dark metal base, which will be noticeably different from the rest of the teeth when placed in the anterior group. If a patient chooses to have metal-ceramic front teeth prosthetics, it is better to have several teeth prosthetics so that the differences are not noticeable.

The aesthetic disadvantage of metal-ceramics is also that it leaves a dark band on the gum at the point of contact between the crown and soft tissue.

Installation of zirconium crowns — one of the most minimally invasive types of prosthetics: under them it is necessary to remove a very thin layer of tooth tissue — up to 0.6 mm, while leaving the tooth itself «alive» For metal-ceramics will require a more serious treatment of the tooth — up to 2 mm and depulpation.

A patient with a zirconia crown will get a more reliable result with the least amount of interference and harm to their own teeth and soft tissues.

Diagnostic consultation with a leading orthopedist