Imran,There are three main differences between
a porcelain fused to metal crown and an all
porcelain crown.
1. A porcelain fused to metal crown is stronger. The all
porcelain crown is strong enough to function on a front tooth, but the
further back in your mouth you go, the heavier the chewing pressures are.
Most people would have no problem with an all porcelain crown on a molar,
but some people create so much chewing pressure there that it would crack.
2. An all porcelain crown is much more beautiful. There is no metal
foundation, so it is translucent, just like your natural tooth. Porcelain
fused to metal will get a dark line at the margin where the crown ends and
your tooth begins. Even if this margin is masked by gum tissue when the
crown is placed, often the gums can recede over the years and it will
become visible and be very ugly. But on a molar, it is difficult to see
the translucency, and the margin rarely shows. Only on people with fairly
wide smiles will it show.
3. The all porcelain crown is considerably more difficult to place. It
requires absolute isolation from saliva and other fluids in order to bond
it to your tooth and give it strength. This is harder to do on molars than
on a central incisor.
We do a lot of all-porcelain crowns in our office. But many dentists
are unfamiliar with the stringent bonding techniques that are required to
place these crowns. If your dentist doesn't give an all-porcelain crown as
an option, it's not a good idea for you to bring it up, as it will put
pressure on your dentist to use a technique that she or he may not know
very well. If a dentist knows how to do an all-porcelain crown, they will
much prefer it for front teeth--it is so much more beautiful they won't
want to do anything else.
Other questions:
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What is your
opinion of the new Lumineers?
I've been to two dentists, and one wants to do Lumineers, and the
other says I should have crowns. |
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Trey has one
crooked front tooth that sticks
out and wants to know if he's a candidate for porcelain veneers. |
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Is there a way to put
porcelain veneers over
crowns? I have crowns across the front, but would like them
whiter. |
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What does it mean to say I
have leaky fillings? How
can I know if I really do? |
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Do the
white fillings last as long as amalgam? I was told that they
don't. |
- From your Naperville, Illinois
cosmetic dentist.
