What are Dental Crowns?
Dental crowns are a custom-fit cap that goes around a broken, weak, or decaying tooth to help restore it. The tooth is reshaped to fit the crown, which is placed over the tooth. One may need a crown to fix a chipped tooth, to prevent grinding due to stress or misalignment, to fix a cavity, protect a dental implant, and more. They can be made from a variety of materials, such as resin and metal, but most commonly ceramic or porcelain.
Ceramic Crowns: Advantages vs. Disadvantages
The main advantage of a ceramic crown is the appearance. They are known for their ability to be color-matched almost perfectly to the existing teeth. Because of this, they are a great choice if you need a crown in the front of your mouth that is visible when you smile, talk, or open your mouth. In addition to appearance, ceramic crowns can withstand common wear and tear. Overall, they are a great choice for someone who is looking to restore strength and appearance.
Ceramic crowns are known to have a complex fabrication process in order to mimic the shape and color of surrounding teeth. It is common that the patient will need to visit the office at least twice to complete the treatment. Another common disadvantage is the installation process. Ceramic crowns have to be thicker than other crown materials to prevent them from breaking or cracking. Because of this, the dentist may have to remove more of the natural tooth to accommodate the crown. On top of that, if the crown does crack, the ceramic tooth is a bit more difficult to repair.
While an all-ceramic crown is a great choice for many patients, there are a few conditions that can affect a patient’s candidacy.
- If there is not enough distance between the teeth, or you have a deep overbite that puts a lot of pressure on the crown. If that’s the case, you may require something stronger than ceramic, such as metal.
- Another factor that can affect a patient’s candidacy is whether or not they excessively clench or grind their teeth. If that is you, again, you may require a stronger material than ceramic.
Can ceramic crowns turn yellow?
Short answer, yes. But often, because the crown is damaged. During the installation process, if your dentist had to grind down the crown to adjust your bite, that might have damaged the glaze over the ceramic crown, which can, in turn, allow for the crown to discolor over time. Another common reason why a ceramic crown may turn yellow is due to damage during a cleaning. Strong power cleaning tools may damage the glaze, or even acidulated fluoride treatments can discolor the crown.
Ceramic crowns are one of the most popular choices for patients looking for aesthetics and durability. If you have further questions or worries, such as yellowing, please reach out to the office, and we would be happy to assist you. If you have a ceramic crown already and it is turning yellow, please contact your dentist directly so they can get to the bottom of the problem and fast.
Related Article: Ceramic vs Porcelain Crowns