ZIRCONIA VERSUS PORCELAIN CROWNS

Dental crowns are a great way of restoring the strength and structure of teeth damaged by tooth decay or as the result of other necessary dental treatment.

As you might expect, there are several different types to choose from, but amongst the most popular ones that give a nice natural look are those made from zirconia and porcelain.

They both have their advantages and disadvantages. So which one you choose will probably depend on a number of different factors including; price, aesthetics, compatibility and durability.

Let’s have a closer look at each one so we can see the main differences and benefits.

Zirconia is an oxidised form of the metal zirconium. It was developed by chemists in Germany back in 1789. Since then it has been widely used by the medical industry and became especially popular as a material for making tooth crowns in the 1990s.

There are two types; solid and high translucent. Solid zirconia is slightly tougher than the translucent variety, but as it’s opaque does not look as quite as good. For this reason, solid zirconia crowns are better suited for back teeth.

Both are extremely durable and 100% biocompatible, do not chip easily, last for ages, and do not show any metal lining at the gums.

Aside from being more expensive than porcelain crowns, the main disadvantages of zirconium are that due to their robust strength they sometimes wear out the natural teeth next to them. The only other occasional problem is that any interior tooth decay covered by them may go unnoticed until it is too late to correct.

There are also two types of porcelain crowns; solid porcelain and metal fused ones.

The metal fused ones are stronger than the solid porcelain ones, but the downside is that the metal lining sometimes shows, especially at the gums.

The main advantage of porcelain crowns over zirconia is the price. Porcelain crowns are definitely a less expensive option. However because they are not as strong as zirconia they are more likely to chip, wear out or become damaged. So can end up being more expensive in the long run.

At the end of the day, whichever choice you make, whether it is the more expensive zirconia or the cheaper porcelain, at Medi Tours Hungary we can help guide you through the process - and make sure that you get the best possible treatment at the very best price.