Zirconia Crowns

What is zirconia?

Zirconium dioxide is a white ceramic with high strength. In metal-backed crowns the substructure blocks light, so the tooth looks lifeless and a grey line can appear at the gum margin over time. Zirconia contains no metal; its light transmission is closer to natural tooth, and discolouration at the gum margin is not expected.

Crown or filling?

A crown covers the whole tooth and requires some healthy structure to be reduced. It is therefore not for small defects but for situations such as:

• Root-treated back teeth that have become brittle
• Teeth whose large filling fractures repeatedly
• Teeth that have lost their form through fracture or advanced wear
• Teeth used as a bridge abutment, or restorations on implants

Where a less invasive answer exists, a crown is not recommended: bonding, inlays/onlays or veneers preserve more tooth. That comparison is made together at the examination.

The process

1. Planning. Examination, radiographs and shade selection. In the aesthetic zone, digital smile planning lets the proposed form be reviewed on screen.
2. Preparation. The tooth is reduced by the thickness of the crown, under local anaesthesia.
3. Impression. Taken with an intraoral scanner or conventionally.
4. Temporary crown. The tooth is never left exposed during the laboratory stage.
5. Try-in and cementation. Fit, bite and shade are checked before final cementation.

Care and lifespan

Zirconia cannot decay, but the tooth underneath can. Longevity depends on the health of the gum at the margin and on daily interdental cleaning. If you clench or grind (bruxism), a night guard is advised; without it the risk of ceramic cracking rises.

An annual check-up with professional cleaning is recommended.

Expectations

Shade and form are planned to harmonise with the natural teeth. Ceramic is not a one-to-one copy of the living surface of a natural tooth, however; the colour of neighbouring teeth, the gum level and the lip line all shape the result. These details are discussed beforehand.

This page is general information and does not replace a dental examination. Whether the treatment suits you, and the method and duration, are decided only after an intraoral examination and radiographic assessment.