What Are Dental Crowns Made Of?

What Are Dental Crowns Made Of?

Team Dental Crowns

Dental crown treatment is one of the best ways to treat a chipped, damaged, or otherwise broken tooth. A cap is placed on the visible chewing service of your tooth, protecting the natural tooth beneath while restoring both function and appearance to your teeth. Treatment is easy, and it provides long lasting protection while restoring your smile.

But did you know that there are multiple dental crown options to choose from? Depending on your oral needs and the dentist you visit, several different materials are commonly used to make dental crowns. What are the most common dental crowns made out of, and which one is right for your mouth?

Review our guide below to learn about some of the most popular dental crown options from the experienced dental experts here at Doctors Lake Family Dental:

Porcelain Crowns

Porcelain is one of the most popular materials used to make dental crowns. Their white coloring helps them match your surrounding teeth, providing a great white smile. Furthermore, they’re biocompatible, so you won’t have to worry about any metal allergy flare ups. The biggest downside to porcelain crowns is that they aren’t as strong as metal crowns, and they tend to be more expensive as well.

Porcelain crowns are best suited for front teeth, especially those who want a bright white smile.

Metal Crowns

Metal crowns are typically made up of gold, chromium, nickel, and other metal alloys. They offer long lasting durability and great resilience, making it easier to chew foods. Metal crowns are also more affordable than porcelain, helping you to save money on your dental treatment. However, the gold or silver plated look will not match your teeth as well as porcelain does.

Metal crowns are best suited for back teeth, where people are less likely to notice your crown.

Porcelain-fused-to-metal Crowns

This is one of the two dental options that combines the strength and affordability of metal crowns with the appearance of porcelain crowns. The visible part of the crown is porcelain, but it is fused to a metal crown for superior strength. Because it is the best of both worlds, it is one of the most common crowns recommended by dentists.

Porcelain-fused-to-metal crowns are a great option for many teeth, so if you don't mind a bit of metal it may be a great option in order to have a strong but pretty smile.

Zirconia Crowns

Zirconia dental crowns are newer compared to the other options, and due to the material required tend to be more expensive and rarer compared to metal and porcelain. However, there are many great advantages to Zirconia dental crowns. Like porcelain, they match your other teeth, but they offer greater resilience than porcelain without relying on metal for support. 

Besides cost and availability, the one other negative to Zirconia dental crowns is that they are more difficult to adjust compared to traditional porcelain. Otherwise, they are another fantastic dental crown option to consider.

Get your dental crowns from Doctors Lake Family Dental

Do you need a dental crown cap for your damaged teeth? Interested in other restorative and cosmetic dental treatments? If you live in or near Fleming Island, Florida, you should consider paying us a visit at Doctors Lake Family Dental. We’ve been helping patients in the area with their dental needs for over forty years. Our mission is to help everyone find their best smile, and with state-of-the-art dentistry practices, we’re confident we can help you with your oral needs.

Contact us today if you have any questions or to schedule an appointment, and we look forward to seeing you soon at Doctors Lake Family Dental.