Zirconium Crowns: PROs and CONs

Zirconium dioxide is a compound of a natural material that is enriched in a laboratory way. This technology of manufacturing zirconium crowns allows you to achieve high resistance to chewing load and food dyes, as well as minimal thermal conductivity. Metal-free zirconium prosthesis have several advantages and disadvantages.

Advantages of zirconium crowns

• Minimal preparation of the tooth for the crown. Zirconium dioxide is a 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 down 0.4-0.6 mm of tooth tissue, when 1.5-2 mm is removed from teeth for metal – ceramic based crowns.
• Biocompatible, do not cause allergic reactions. Unlike other materials for crowns, zirconium has the smallest list of contraindications, does not cause galvanic and toxic reactions. The gum in the area of the crown installation does not change color and looks natural.
• High aesthetics of the material. Zircon has a perfect white color and the properties of the natural surface of the tooth: matte, translucent, light transmittance and shine. Zircon crowns look very natural and do not change for many years.
• No unpleasant taste in the mouth.
• Suitable for creating a long bridge-like prosthesis for several teeth. These crowns with their strength are quite light, so they do not create an excessive load on the supporting teeth when installing a bridge prosthesis.
• There is less chance of caries, since the base of the crown exactly follows the shape of the sharpened tooth and fits snugly, preventing the ingress of microbes.- Lack of high sensitivity of the teeth, which often affects people with installed metal-ceramic crowns. This is due to the fact that the zirconium frame practically does not conduct heat and cold.

Disadvantages of them

The material itself and structures made of it have no shortcomings. All the disadvantages relate to related issues:

the high price;

increased hardware requirements;

complexity of manufacturing.

However, all well-known dental clinics have already switched to zirconium crowns in prosthetics.