What Type of Dental Crown Should You Choose?

Dental crowns can resolve numerous problems with your teeth. They can protect weak teeth, repair damaged teeth, replace missing teeth, and even reshape malformed or irregularly sized teeth to improve your smiles appearance. If youre considering crown treatment, youre probably wondering what type of crown to choose. Dr. Matthew Scaffa from Dental Art Concepts in Staten Island, New York, will guide you in making this decision. By learning more about the different types of crowns and their uses, you can choose wisely to get the most from your restorative treatment.

Types of Crowns and Their Uses

As crowns serve multiple purposes, it only makes sense that there are different types of crowns to meet various needs.

Some crowns are designed primarily for restorative purposes, while others are for aesthetic qualities. Working closely with Dr. Scaffa and our team makes choosing the crown that best suits your needs easier.
 

Here are some of the most common types of crowns for your use:

• Metal Crowns

Metal crowns can be made of gold, nickel, chromium, palladium, or other metal alloys. Theyre the strongest type of crown and can withstand an incredible amount of pressure from biting and chewing. However, because of their metallic appearance, they make poor choices for visible teeth. Theyre better suited for repairing molars, where the crown remains mostly hidden.

• Porcelain Crowns

Dr. Scaffa highly recommends a porcelain crown to repair a front tooth. Porcelain closely resembles the color, texture and sheen of natural tooth enamel. A customized porcelain crown will blend in beautifully with nearby natural teeth to restore your smiles esthetics. Porcelain crowns are stain-resistant a plus for people who love their coffee, wine and tea. Theyre not as strong as metal crowns, but they can last 10 to 15 years with proper care.

• Porcelain Fused-to-Metal Crowns (PFM)

With PFM crowns, you get the best of both worlds regarding quality and beauty. The metal base gives PFM crowns extra strength and durability. The porcelain overlay gives your crown aesthetic appeal, making these crowns conducive for front or back teeth. One drawback is that the metal base of your crown could, over time, start to show through around the gum line of your tooth.

• Zirconia Crowns

Zirconia crowns are made of zirconium dioxide, a strong ceramic material with a pleasing tooth-colored appearance. Their combination of strength, esthetics, and metal-free composition makes them a good choice for people with metal allergies. Unlike porcelain crowns, which are custom-made in a lab, zirconia crowns can often be cut and designed at your dental office to expedite your treatment.

• Resin Crowns

Composite resin crowns are aesthetically pleasing, reasonably priced, and practical. Still, they are sometimes limited to short-term use since they are not nearly as durable or long-lasting as other crown kinds.