What is the difference between stamped dental crowns and cast ones?

26.11.2019

The choice of dentures is now quite large, but in case of incomplete tooth destruction, the most popular are dental crowns, which allow you to avoid removal. They are made in different ways, from different materials, and sometimes it can be difficult to choose the right option.

What is a crown and why is it needed?

A crown is a type of fixed dental prosthesis. Externally, it follows the shape of the tooth and, when installed, becomes indistinguishable from healthy teeth. It is used for incomplete tooth destruction to restore its chewing functions and aesthetic appearance, as well as to prevent further destruction. Crowns are differentiated depending on the material used to make them. They come in metal, metal-ceramic, plastic and ceramic. Metal ones are rarely used in modern clinics, as they have an unaesthetic appearance and are completely unsuitable for prosthetics of front teeth.

Ceramic ones have a natural appearance. This is the most expensive type of crown; they are made from zirconium oxide. Plastic crowns are used mainly as temporary prostheses, as they do not have durability and wear resistance, are easily subject to mechanical damage and fail. This is the cheapest type. Metal-ceramic crowns combine beauty and strength and are the most popular compared to other types because of their practicality. Dental crowns are also distinguished by the manufacturing method: there is a stamped crown and a solid cast one.

Materials for dentures:

Zirconium dioxide is the most durable of materials. Withstands up to 20 years of use without changing its characteristics. Does not respond to sudden temperature changes. It also does not cause intolerance and is absolutely safe.
Aluminum oxide is almost as good in appearance as zirconium and other ceramic structures and has a natural white color. At the same time, it is less durable and less resistant to abrasion or impact, so it is rarely used to restore chewing teeth. In some cases, an allergic reaction to aluminum may occur.
Porcelain - in terms of aesthetics, this is the most preferred type of material. It is also absolutely harmless in terms of allergic reactions. However, despite its strength, it is also the most fragile. Porcelain can withstand pressure, but impacts can damage it. Therefore, it is also almost never used on chewing teeth.
Usually it is used for prosthetics of incisors or canines.

Such prostheses require careful handling, but if precautions are taken, they last up to 15 years.

The main disadvantages are:

Increased risk of chipping
High price for all varieties.

Stamped crowns. Manufacturing principles

The production of stamped crowns has been used for more than a hundred years; many dentists consider this process a relic of the past, but, nevertheless, it is still used because it is very cheap. Cylindrical blanks of different diameters are made from stainless steel, from which metal crowns are stamped on special machines. Such a product must have certain qualities for proper installation and comfortable wearing.

The stamped crown must fit exactly the size of the tooth, cover it tightly, without gaps or voids. Otherwise, it will provoke inflammation of the gums, which can lead to atrophy. For a tighter fit of the crown to the tooth and its fixation, special dental cement is used. The crown should not go deep into the gums, as this can cause gum disease, such as periodontitis. In addition, it must match the shape of a healthy tooth so as not to violate the integrity of the row, and be of an appropriate size to avoid injury. The product is designed to restore tooth function.

Properties of crowns made from common materials

1. Metal crowns, solid cast or stamped, are very durable and not particularly aesthetic.

At the DentaBravo clinic we use only cast crowns as they are more modern and reliable - they last from 10 to 12 years. Our crowns hermetically seal the tooth and prevent its destruction under the prosthesis.

The color of the crowns is also metallic. In general, you won’t get a white-toothed smile with them. This is the most economical option for posterior teeth.

2. Metal-ceramic crowns are a metal frame lined with ceramics on all sides.

They are quite durable and last more than 8-10 years. There is only one drawback: the metal frame prevents the passage of light, so they are less aesthetically pleasing than metal-free ceramics.

DentaBravo specialists will produce metal-ceramic crowns for you using German and American materials with a patented composition. A reasonable price/quality ratio, as well as durability/aesthetics, makes this type of prosthesis the most popular.

3. Metal-free ceramic crowns made of porcelain, aluminum oxide or zirconium dioxide.

They are the most expensive of all, but in color, transparency and shape they are completely indistinguishable from real teeth.

Glass-ceramic crowns will not darken or lose their shine over time, so they are the best option for restoring teeth that are visible when you smile.

4. Combined dentures with several crowns made of different materials.

For prosthetics of several teeth, in order to save money, you can combine cast metal and metal-ceramic crowns.

Of all the above, only two types of crowns are suitable for installation on the front teeth:

from metal ceramics;
metal-free.

It is worth noting that metal ceramics may look somewhat artificial compared to other real teeth.

But crowns made of porcelain or zirconium dioxide are for those who are more concerned about the beauty of their smile rather than their high cost. After all, they completely imitate natural tooth enamel.

Indications and contraindications for the use of stamped crowns

Stamped metal crowns are used:

In case of incomplete tooth decay. In this case, the tooth is ground to the required size, all its defects and carious lesions are eliminated to prevent further destruction.
If removable dentures, for example, clasp or bridges, will be installed. Crowns are installed to protect supporting teeth.
To restore a damaged baby tooth

There are some contraindications to their use:

Bruxism (teeth grinding, which destroys enamel).
Complete tooth destruction, in which there is nothing left to save.
Infectious diseases of the oral cavity.

Pros and cons of stamped crowns

Advantages of stamped crowns:

Preparing the tooth does not require much time; grinding is carried out to a minimum, since the walls of the crown are thin. This is especially important if the product is attached to a healthy tooth, which will support a removable denture.
This is a therapeutic procedure that allows you to preserve a healthy tooth and avoid extraction.
A stamped crown can be used in cases where other types of prosthetics are not possible (for example, the use of implants cannot be carried out due to diabetes mellitus or another illness of the patient).
This is a cheap method of manufacturing and prosthetics, so it becomes a salvation for people with low incomes.

Disadvantages of stamped crowns:

Use for a long time leads to abrasion of the crown and its failure. Subsequently, the product will have to be replaced with a new one.
The cement on which the crown is held dissolves over time, which leads to a loose fit to the tooth and gum. This, in turn, can lead to damage, tooth decay, and tooth decay due to food ingestion.
If the tooth is completely destroyed, the crown will not help perform chewing functions.
A stamped bridge contains welded parts that shorten its service life.

Which crown is better - metal-ceramic or zirconium?

A bit of an incorrect question.

In terms of strength and aesthetic characteristics, these crowns are very close to each other.

On front teeth, zirconium crowns are more preferable due to their increased transparency.

But in the area of chewing teeth, we would not recommend using zirconium crowns due to the lower strength of the frame.

Therefore, the ideal option would be to use metal-ceramics in the area of the chewing teeth, and zirconium crowns in the area of the front teeth.

Solid crowns

Modern casting methods have made it possible to produce high-quality thin-walled crowns. A solid crown is used to restore the shape of a damaged tooth, its preservation, as a support for bridges and removable dentures. It is cast from a cobalt-chrome alloy, resulting in a solid product without solders. Even when creating bridge-like prostheses, soldering of elements is not required; the structure is poured out entirely. Such crowns can have various manufacturing options.

Regular crown without coating, polished metal.
Gold-plated crown. May cause allergic reactions. When worn for a long time, the coating wears off.
Solid plastic crowns. They have a cast metal frame and a plastic onlay to give the aesthetic appearance of natural teeth. If worn for a long time or carelessly, the plastic may chip.
Metal ceramics. The most expensive type of crowns, they have durability and a natural appearance.

Indications for the use of cast crowns:

Significant damage to teeth.
Pathology of the shape of the teeth or its location.
Malocclusion.
Anomaly in tooth size.
Support for removable and bridge dentures.
Prevention of tooth abrasion, bruxism.

Plastic crowns in Stavropol

Dental crowns made of acrylic plastic initially have an aesthetic appearance, but this advantage over stamped products is lost over time. Within a year or even less, the pleasant color of the plastic crowns, close to the natural shade of the teeth, changes: it darkens and becomes covered with stains. The hygienic qualities of plastic crowns are also not up to par, they are not particularly hard, and the structure of the plastic is porous.

Among the new products in the field of dental prosthetics are reinforced plastic crowns made of photopolymers; they are quite advertised. But theoretically, the strength of such structures has not been proven, and in practice, the tooth has to be heavily ground under a crown made of any type of plastic, otherwise it can quickly crack.

In addition, plastic does not have biological compatibility with the gums, which is fraught with inflammation and the appearance of a characteristic dark rim at the point of contact of the gums with the crown.

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Advantages of cast crowns

The possibility of one-piece production of not only individual crowns, but also bridges, which ensures the strength and wear resistance of the products.
Durability. Wearing such crowns can last up to 10 years if the quality of the material and installation are performed at a high level.
Fast and easy production.
A one-piece crown is made individually for each tooth and fits perfectly into the dentition without causing discomfort when worn.
The precision of the design allows the crown to be installed tightly without gaps, which protects against bacteria and food getting under it.
For front teeth, it is possible to produce crowns with coating or veneering for an aesthetic appearance. A stamped crown does not provide this opportunity.

Metal-plastic

They differ from metal-ceramic ones at a more affordable cost. At the base of the crown there is usually an inexpensive metal: stainless medical steel or an alloy based on it. The coating is some kind of polymer: plastic or acrylic. It is white in color, but its shine is slightly different from enamel. However, when the crown is deep in the mouth, it is not noticeable.

The disadvantages of such crowns are:

Low strength - they cannot be chewed on something hard, they wear out quickly, and therefore are most often used as a temporary masking of a defect while a permanent prosthesis is being prepared.
Also, the polymer may darken when exposed to any coloring substances (food coloring).
In some patients, the polymer causes swelling and irritation of the gums.
The likelihood of allergies is higher than when using other types of structures.