Ceramic or metal-free crowns began to be used in dental prosthetics relatively recently. Compared to metal and metal-ceramic crowns, ceramic dentures are more aesthetically pleasing; for this reason, they are most often used to restore front teeth, which are clearly visible to others when smiling and talking. Aesthetics is not the only advantage of metal-free dental crowns; they have a number of other advantages that ensure their high demand among both patients and orthodontists.
In this article we will tell you in detail about ceramic (metal-free) dental crowns. After reading the material, you will learn in what clinical situations ceramic crowns are recommended for dental prosthetics, what features and unique advantages they have. We will look at the types of ceramic dental crowns, their manufacturing technologies, as well as prices for metal-free crowns in Moscow.
Design features of ceramic (metal-free) dental crowns
A ceramic crown is a prosthesis placed on a tooth or installed on an implant. Its peculiarity is that it is produced without the use of a metal base, which is used for the manufacture of metal-ceramic crowns. Modern metal-free dental crowns can be made from dental ceramics, glass ceramics, and zirconium dioxide.
Ceramics, glass ceramics and zirconium are materials that have the highest aesthetics. They have a translucency like natural tooth enamel, so metal-free dental crowns are almost impossible to distinguish from natural teeth. A wide range of colors and shades of materials allows you to get an ideal smile with straight and beautiful teeth as a result of prosthetics.
But in addition to beauty, metal-free dental crowns are completely reliable and functional products. Their installation allows you to qualitatively restore all the most important functions of the teeth and obtain the correct distribution of the chewing load.
Of course, the price for ceramic dental crowns will be higher than for prosthetics with metal and ceramic crowns. But the cost of ceramic prosthetics is well worth the benefits that can be obtained by choosing ceramic crowns.
Below we will analyze in detail all the benefits that a patient can receive by choosing ceramic crowns for prosthetics.
The main advantages of ceramic dental crowns
What benefits can you get by choosing to put ceramic crowns on your teeth? This question is often asked by patients to orthodontists, and therefore below we will consider in detail all the advantages of metal-free dental crowns.
The main advantages of using ceramic crowns for dental prosthetics include:
- An ideal indicator of the compatibility of dental ceramics with natural tissues of the human body. Ceramic crowns do not lead to allergic reactions, their surface does not darken or change its attractive color under the influence of external factors, wearing them does not cause an unpleasant metallic taste in the mouth;
- Aesthetics of prostheses. If you decide to put ceramic crowns on your front teeth, you can be sure that strangers will not even notice that you have not your own teeth, but a prosthesis;
- The use of modern technologies allows the prosthetist to make ceramic crowns individually for the patient. The finished prosthesis will fit tightly to the core base, without gaps, and such high precision in the production of metal-free crowns ensures a long service life and eliminates the occurrence of inflammation and caries in the tooth under the crown;
- Metal-free crowns are not massive, are light in weight (compared to bulky and heavy metal prostheses), they do not create dangerous unwanted stress on adjacent healthy teeth and gums;
- Ceramic crowns have an absolutely smooth surface that does not stain from contact with food, does not accumulate plaque, and does not absorb odors.
With so many advantages, ceramic dental crowns also have certain disadvantages that are important to consider before you decide to place them on your front or chewing teeth.
Some disadvantages of ceramic crowns that are important to consider before prosthetics
When planning to place ceramic crowns on your front or chewing teeth, it is important to take into account certain disadvantages of dentures made from this material:
- Some types of ceramics are quite fragile and cannot withstand the pressure that occurs when biting and chewing food. For example, porcelain crowns can crack and chip from a strong impact. If high strength is required from the crown for dental prosthetics, then it is better to initially opt for metal-free prostheses made of zirconium or pressed ceramics;
- Difficulty of restoration. If a ceramic crown is damaged, it is easier to replace it completely than to try to repair a broken denture.
Some people consider the disadvantages of ceramic crowns to be their high price. Of course, the price of ceramic crowns is much higher than that of metal and metal-ceramic prostheses. But only ceramic prosthetics allows you to achieve a truly high level of aesthetics, and if the crown is made correctly and accurately, and you take proper care of it, it will serve you no less than a metal prosthesis.
CL-IV (cermet)
This group is analogous to the CL-I group; they are based on a metal insert. Since the material used does not have an aesthetic appearance, the required base thickness must be at least 1.5 mm. The use of Captek, Argen USA Inc. linings helps to achieve naturalness. The advantage of CL-IV group materials is durability and resistance to any deformation.
Metal-ceramic crowns
Metal ceramics are used when the dental crown or most of it is completely missing.
Which teeth can be replaced with ceramic crowns?
Metal-free crowns can restore any tooth in the row - both the front and chewing ones. You just need to choose the right type of material. For example, for the restoration of teeth in the smile area, you can choose porcelain, ceramics, and glass ceramics. Zirconium crowns are more suitable for the restoration of posterior teeth.
Why do prosthetists recommend using radically different materials for prosthetics of back and front teeth? It's simple: the front and chewing teeth perform different functions and experience different degrees of stress. The heaviest load when eating food is placed on the back teeth, therefore the crown for their restoration must be strong. Therefore, for prosthetics of chewing teeth, metal-free zirconium crowns are most often used; their strength level is not inferior to metal products. The average price of zirconium oxide crowns per chewing dental unit is twenty thousand rubles.
USEFUL TO KNOW: To fix metal-free crowns on the back (chewing) teeth, not glue, but cement is often used, which allows you to secure the prosthesis as firmly as possible on the stump base.
When replacing anterior teeth, the strength of the crowns is less important, since the incisors and canines are less subject to stress. Here the primary indicator will be aesthetics - after all, the crown on the front teeth should look natural and be invisible to others. Therefore, when prosthetizing the front teeth, ceramic, porcelain and glass-ceramic crowns are relevant. The price of the crown will depend on the type of material.
USEFUL TO KNOW: The aesthetics of prosthetic restoration of the front teeth with ceramic crowns will depend on the accuracy of the manufacture of the prosthesis and the correct choice of its color.
Photos before and after prosthetics, which we supplement our article, will help you evaluate what ceramic and zirconium crowns look like on your teeth.
Life time
The average service life of metal-free prostheses is 15 years. With proper care they will last longer. The timing depends on the chosen material and location in the dentition. It is of great importance how much the patient complies with the doctor’s instructions for the care of the structure and diet.
In our Center for Private Dentistry “Doctor Levin” there is a guarantee for the integrity and color of metal-free crowns made using digital technology for 25 years. Our orthopedists are confident in their work and the quality of the source material. The warranty periods are confirmed by digital passports for the products.
Types of metal-free (ceramic) crowns for teeth
Having told you about the pros, cons, and possibilities of installing ceramic crowns on the front and back teeth, let's talk about the types of orthopedic products made from this material. There are three main types of metal-free dental crowns:
- All-ceramic. These dental crowns are made from dental porcelain and have a fairly affordable price. They have a high level of aesthetics, but are very unstable to mechanical loads. For this reason, all-ceramic crowns are installed during prosthetics only in the area of the front teeth;
- All-zirconia crowns. They are made from zirconium oxide and have increased strength, allowing them to be used for prosthetics of back teeth - molars, which take an active part in the process of chewing food;
- Crowns on a zirconium frame with ceramic veneer. Such combined crowns provide both strength and high aesthetics and therefore can be used for the restoration of both anterior and chewing teeth.
What type of ceramic crowns is best for your case? Only a doctor can answer this question accurately and in detail, after examining and studying all the features of the clinical case, as well as taking into account your wishes. If you need detailed advice on dental prosthetics with ceramic crowns, you can get it at any time convenient for you by visiting an orthopedic doctor’s office in our dental clinic in Moscow - “Firadent”.
When is it possible and when not to perform dental prosthetics with ceramic crowns?
The main indications for dental prosthetics with ceramic crowns will be as follows:
- More than 50% tooth decay;
- Absence of a tooth in any part of the dentition;
- The need to eliminate an aesthetic defect: a chipped tooth, unsightly enamel color;
- Tooth restoration after injury (provided the tooth root remains intact and healthy);
- An allergic reaction to metal alloys, excluding the use of metal dentures.
Dental prosthetics with ceramic crowns are not performed if the location of the pulp (nerve of the tooth) is too close, as well as with advanced periodontitis. Contraindications to the installation of metal-free crowns are excluded at the stage of diagnosis and treatment planning.
Precautionary measures
In order to wear metal-free crowns for a long period of time, you need to pay attention to the following rules:
- do not install dentures if your teeth are too small;
- a deep bite also does not allow wearing crowns;
- significant defects in the dentition - in this case only metal-ceramic structures are suitable.
A disease called bruxism, which involves involuntary grinding of teeth, also makes it impossible to wear crowns. It is necessary to get rid of the disease and undergo a course of treatment. After which you can think about improving your teeth.
Firing technology
This technology for making ceramic dental crowns involves firing them on a fire-resistant model, which is made from special heat-resistant materials. Crowns produced using this technology have a number of advantages:
- Short production times and at the same time high accuracy rates of the finished crown;
- Various substances can be added to the ceramic sintered mass to obtain both improved strength characteristics and the desired color of the finished ceramic crown, which ideally matches the natural shade of the patient’s tooth enamel;
The advantages of ceramic crowns produced using firing technology include an affordable price.
CAD/CAM
The considered method of producing ceramic dental crowns involves the production of structures on a special milling machine. The model from which the tooth crown will be made is created using a special computer program and then transferred to a milling machine.
The manufacturing technology of a ceramic crown for dental prosthetics will affect its price. Therefore, when drawing up a prosthetic plan, the doctor, together with the patient, will decide on the method of production of the prosthesis.
What are custom abutments and how do they improve esthetics?
Such abutments are manufactured individually for a specific patient, taking into account the anatomical features of the oral cavity and the clinical situation. This provides high aesthetics, excellent functionality, and helps improve the sealing of the crown-abutment-gum interface, preventing unwanted substances from getting under the gum.
An individual abutment is made on a high-precision milling machine, because... any inaccuracies will lead to gaps when the crown “fits” on the abutment and to a decrease in service life.
The main stages of manufacturing ceramic crowns for dental prosthetics
The process of making ceramic crowns for dental prosthetics will consist of the following steps:
- Diagnostic stage. At this stage, the patient undergoes an examination by an orthopedic dentist, after which it is decided which crowns to put on the teeth and a treatment plan is drawn up.
- Preparation stage. Before placing a ceramic crown on a tooth, you need to properly prepare not only the tooth itself for prosthetics, but also the oral cavity as a whole. To do this, professional teeth cleaning is carried out, and dental diseases of the teeth and gums diagnosed during the examination are treated. The preparation stage also includes depulping the tooth and turning it, which makes it possible to obtain a stump base on which the doctor will place a ceramic crown.
- An impression is taken from the prepared teeth, from which a model of the future crown is made.
The production time for a ceramic crown on a tooth will depend on the technology. When the ceramic crown is ready, the patient is invited to the clinic to try it on and temporarily install it on the tooth. If these measures do not reveal any defects in the finished crown, the patient will not complain of discomfort when wearing the prosthesis - the crown is fixed to the tooth on a permanent basis.
Indications and contraindications for the use of metal-free ceramics
There are many indications for metal-free ceramic dentures to become teeth. They can be used if:
- a person is allergic to other materials, which does not allow for proper dental care and replacement;
- Canines or front incisors need to be restored;
- dark spots that cannot be removed;
- teeth require careful correction due to congenital defects;
- correction is required to obtain an even row;
- It is necessary to restore the teeth that are visible when you smile.
There are not so many contraindications for such dental care. These include acute diseases (after they subside, installation of an implant from any material is possible), pregnancy, and the habit of grinding teeth (bruxism).
The best thing is that there is no long recovery period required after the installation of dentures. The main thing is to learn the rules for proper care of new teeth and follow them carefully so that the dentures last a long time and do not cause any inconvenience.
Progress of treatment
Consultation and diagnosis
Drawing up a treatment plan
Treatment procedure
Preventive examination
How do ceramic crowns stay on teeth?
How do ceramic crowns stay on teeth? This question is often asked by patients planning to put ceramic crowns on their teeth, and we will answer it in detail below.
To place a ceramic crown on a tooth and firmly fix it on it, the doctor will not sharpen the tooth much or install a pin under the root. He removes a small amount of tissue from the tooth so as to obtain enough space for placing the ceramic crown itself on the stump and its subsequent fixation with glue. As a result, the crown “sits” tightly on the tooth and there are no cracks or gaps left between the ceramic product and the natural tissues of the tooth.
The glue will firmly hold the ceramic crown in place and at the same time, the border between the prosthesis and the tooth will remain invisible. The invisibility of the connection between the ceramic crown and the tooth is of fundamental importance when carrying out prosthetics in the area of the anterior teeth.
If a ceramic crown is planned to be placed on a chewing tooth, strong dental cement is used to secure it firmly to the stump.
How long can a ceramic tooth crown last?
Ceramic crowns are durable and wear-resistant - they can serve their owner for ten years or more. But at the same time, you need to properly care for the ceramic crown after prosthetics, maintain oral hygiene and periodically undergo examination by a dentist.
If you have all-ceramic crowns placed on your front teeth, you should refrain from biting and chewing hard foods. A ceramic crown may not be able to withstand such a load, and if it breaks, then it will have to be removed, restored and reinstalled.
Ceramic crowns do not require any special care after prosthetics - you can care for them just like your natural teeth.
Care
To maintain metal-free dentures in normal condition, they do not require special care - ordinary, standard oral hygiene procedures, familiar to every person since childhood. However, it is also recommended to adhere to the following rules:
- Do not use toothpastes with a high abrasive content. Such products can ruin the appearance of the crown by scratching it.
- Try not to eat solid foods (such as, for example, seeds, nuts, ice, crackers). Such actions can lead to the formation of chips on the crown.
- You need to be especially careful about food leftovers after eating, as they can get into the cavity between the crown and the gum. To eliminate food, you need to use dental floss after every meal.
If you pay enough attention to caring for metal-free crowns, you can significantly increase the service life of the structure in this way.
How much does it cost to put a ceramic crown on a tooth?
The approximate price for a ceramic crown for dental prosthetics is about 20 thousand rubles. The indicated price includes the ceramic crown itself, as well as tooth preparation services that must be carried out in order to install the prosthesis. The price of the crown will consist of the following factors: the price of the material, technology for manufacturing the prosthesis, and the complexity of the clinical case.
But the total price of prosthetics with ceramic crowns may be higher than the indicated amount, because some additional procedures may be carried out during treatment: for example, sanitation of the oral cavity, tooth depulpation, treatment of dental canals. Therefore, it is better to find out the exact price of a crown directly in the clinic, from an orthopedic dentist. The doctor will conduct an examination and offer you the prosthetic option that suits you in terms of aesthetics, functionality and price.
USEFUL TO KNOW: in advertising offers from some clinics you can see a fairly low price for ceramic crowns - from seven thousand rubles. But believe me, such a price is not a reason for joy. Most likely, at this price, patients are offered either metal-ceramics, or it is simply the price of the crown itself, without treatment and preparation of the tooth, and in the end the cost of prosthetics will be 3-4 times higher. Therefore, do not be tempted by beautiful advertising and the opportunity to save money - always find out all the details about dental prosthetics in a specific clinic!
If you want to find out the exact price of prosthetics with ceramic crowns, call or come to an appointment with our specialists at the dental clinic in Moscow - “Firadent”. We do not promise our patients the lowest prices for prosthetics and installation of ceramic crowns, but we guarantee high quality and comfort of treatment!
Cost of installing a crown on an implant
A ceramic crown can be placed not only on a tooth, but also on an implant. The price of such prosthetics will be more expensive, since it will include the cost of the implant, the operation for its implantation, and in some cases the price of preliminary osteoplasty. But the high cost in this case will be compensated by the reliability and durability of the result, its high aesthetics, and in addition, installing a crown on an implant does not require grinding down healthy teeth.
It is also impossible to announce the exact price of installing a ceramic crown on an implant right away and without taking into account a number of important factors. The price of the service will depend on the type of implant, the complexity of the clinical case, the technology of implantation, the material and manufacturing technology of the ceramic crown. Therefore, the exact price for installing a ceramic crown on a turnkey implant can only be determined after visiting a dental clinic.
You can always get detailed and honest answers to any questions about prosthetics and dental implantation by contacting our dentistry in Moscow - Firadent.
How is the rehabilitation period after installation of a prosthesis?
During the period of soft tissue recovery after prosthetics and the patient’s adaptation to the structure, some problems may arise. For example, a denture may interfere with the usual closing of the jaws (due to the long-term absence of a tooth of normal anatomical shape). In some cases, gum inflammation, pain, and redness may occur. In general, this is all normal, since the doctor treated the tooth, the gums were injured, because it was necessary to align the position of the mucous membrane along the contour of the crown. But if the discomfort not only persists, but intensifies, you should tell your doctor about it. And as soon as possible.
You can avoid unpleasant sensations if you follow a gentle regimen in the first days after installing the prosthesis: gently brush your teeth with a soft brush, eat pureed food.
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