What is Dental Crowns?

1. Porcelain or Ceramic Crowns

• Best For: Front teeth due to their natural color and texture, which can be matched to the adjacent teeth.
• Advantages: Excellent natural color match, suitable for people with metal allergies.
• Disadvantages: Less durable than metal crowns, can wear down opposing teeth more than metal or resin crowns.

2. Porcelain Fused to Metal (PFM) Crowns

• Best For: Front or back teeth when a balance between strength and aesthetics is needed.
• Advantages: Stronger than porcelain or ceramic crowns, better aesthetics than metal crowns.
• Disadvantages: The metal under the porcelain cap can sometimes show as a dark line, especially at the gum line. The porcelain part can also chip or break off.

3. Gold Alloys Crowns

• Best For: Back teeth where aesthetics are less of a concern.
• Advantages: Strong and durable, do not wear down the teeth opposite them, and high biocompatibility (minimal risk of allergic reaction).
• Disadvantages: Distinctive gold color that may not appeal to everyone.

4. Base Metal Alloys Crowns

• Best For: Back teeth due to their strength.
• Advantages: Very strong and resistant to corrosion, require the least amount of healthy tooth removal prior to fitting.
• Disadvantages: Metallic color is not aesthetically pleasing for front teeth.

5. Zirconia Crowns

• Best For: Both front and back teeth due to their strength and excellent aesthetics.
• Advantages: Extremely durable, can be made with a very natural appearance, less likely to chip compared to porcelain crowns.
• Disadvantages: Can be tough on opposing teeth, leading to wear.

6. Composite Resin Crowns

• Best For: Temporary or short-term solutions, or when budget constraints are significant.
• Advantages: Less expensive than other types of crowns, can be made in-office in a single visit, good for temporary crowns.
• Disadvantages: Less durable than other types of crowns, more prone to fracturing and wear over time.