“Implant crowns?”
I have full implants but have problems with the enamel coming off the front of the front teeth. I am going to have them replaced and the dentist has suggested zirconia, would you agree with this and will it end my problem. I do not do any hard front biting or grinding, in fact, the new teeth must be made longer as the ones I now have to not show very much and not at all when I talk.
Female | 72 years old
5 Answers
Yes, it is the strongest material we have now, and most labs give a lifetime warranty against fracture and breakage.
Zirconia is a great, very strong option with a fracture risk of only around 2% and can be very estheticly pleasing. So you should have a long life from that option. The reference to porcelain fracturing off the previous restoration leads me to conclude it was a porcelain fused to metal restoration. These can be a very esthetic restorations and generally have more than enough strength to manage normal functional forces especially in the front. This leads me to believe there still may be some undiscovered bruxism or grinding habit in your case which can be damaging to the implants themselves if untreated. Further investigation to absolutely rule out this possibility might be warranted. As far as teeth not being long enough, some times it is not a matter of tooth length but of lost bone and gingiva that needs to be and can be replaced prosthetically as well. A thorough esthetic evaluation by a qualified dental professional can identify or rule out this option or necessity.
Implant crowns done with Zirconia are much stronger than implant crowns done with other porcelains such as Emax or feldspathic. Know there could be some pros and cons. We need more info, such as examining you clinically and seeing your X-rays. Know that there are risks and benefits to all porcelain crowns. For more info, click here for this video:
https://celebritydentist.com/videos/what-are-the-different-types-of-veneers-and-which-one-should-i-choose/
https://celebritydentist.com/videos/what-are-the-different-types-of-veneers-and-which-one-should-i-choose/
Dear Reader,
It sounds like you have porcelain fused to metal crowns and the porcelain keeps popping off. Zirconia crowns have the advantages of being one material and much stronger. Without an examination, I don't know why your porcelain keeps debonding from your crowns. I don't know what you mean when you say you have full implants. I also don't know if you have implant abutments and separate crowns cemented to them, or screw-retained crowns attached directly to the implants. Overall, your dentist may be correct in recommending zirconia crowns. I have never had one break in the last 10 years, so I hope it works out for you,.
Hope this helps,
Steven Chamish, DDS, FAGD, FIOCI
It sounds like you have porcelain fused to metal crowns and the porcelain keeps popping off. Zirconia crowns have the advantages of being one material and much stronger. Without an examination, I don't know why your porcelain keeps debonding from your crowns. I don't know what you mean when you say you have full implants. I also don't know if you have implant abutments and separate crowns cemented to them, or screw-retained crowns attached directly to the implants. Overall, your dentist may be correct in recommending zirconia crowns. I have never had one break in the last 10 years, so I hope it works out for you,.
Hope this helps,
Steven Chamish, DDS, FAGD, FIOCI
Zirconia is the strongest ceramic material in dentistry. And if your dentist is lengthening your teeth, then this may be the best material. However, zirconia can appear a bit opaque. Explain your concerns with your dentist and the lab tech. There are esthetic, more translucent zirconia materials available these days. Or, they can use zirconia as the base material and layer a different, more esthetic ceramic on top of the zirconia. Nothing is forever, so unless you do not plan on talking or chewing on these restorations, you will probably have to replace them at some point. Zirconia is strong, but can still break.
