Types of Dental Crowns

Dental crowns are tooth-shaped prosthetic devices that encircle a tooth and help in restoring the strength of the tooth and enhance its appearance. Usually used to cover the top of the teeth,
dental crowns
are used for a medley of purposes. The common reasons to go for a dental crown are:

• To enhance the strength of the teeth and to protect a week teeth from external factors. Dental crowns guard your teeth against breaking down by holding them together.
• To cover a large cavity when fillings cannot be used.
• To enhance the appearance of the tooth and for a more aesthetic smile.
• To hold dental bridges together.
• To cover discoloured/broken teeth.
• To restore your teeth.

There are different varieties of teeth crowns
available. Here in this article, let us discuss some of the common dental crowns used and which suits you the best:

1) Ceramic dental crown

Made of a ceramic substance like porcelain, ceramic crowns are white and quite hard, making it an apt choice for a dental crown. A ceramic crown could either be a pure ceramic crown or a porcelain-fused metal crown. Porcelain crown looks natural with no metal present on the teeth. Whilst it may not be as strong as its alternatives if you want a natural look go with it after consulting a dentist.

2) Stainless steel dental crown

Usually used by prefabricated methods, they are used mostly temporarily. Whilst the permanent crown is made of some other material, they are used mostly as a stop-gap measure. Apt for children, they are very cost-effective and don’t require multiple dental visits to be placed in the tooth. Usually, they are used to repair decayed molar teeth/preventing teeth from decaying further.

3) Gold alloy dental crown

Gold alloy dental crown can be either made completely of gold/mixture of gold with other metals. This type of dental crown has been used for a long time and the main subcategories in a gold alloy dental crown are:

• High noble alloy(minimum 60% alloy – made of gold, platinum and palladium)
• Noble alloy

The main reasons people go with gold alloy crown is that:

1. It can withstand heavy forces when you chew.
2. They are long-lasting and formidable.
3. They are excellent at restoring molars and pre-molars.

4) Base metal alloy dental crown

When the composition of the noble metals(gold, platinum, palladium and silver) drops below 25%, it becomes a base metal crown. Whilst the costs are considerably lower when compared to the gold alloy crown, it is more likely to corrode when compared to its gold alloy alternative due to the high concentration of non-alloy materials. To speak about the pros, base metal alloy crown is quite strong and can reasonably thwart corrosion to a great extent.

5) Zirconia crowns

A popular option in recent years, zirconia crowns are for people who prefer aesthetic teeth. They are usually made of artificial substances that is biocompatible with your teeth and gums. They provide a natural look, aesthetic, strong and corrosion resistant. They take minimum time to be installed and hence saves a lot of time to all the parties involved. Add to that, these are quite cost-effective. making them very popular.

The most important thing to remember is that dental crowns are for people of all ages and if your situation ticks one of the common reasons to get a dental crown, don’t hesitate to get one. Your dentist might know what suits you the best and will advise whilst taking your considerations into factor.