Modern technology has brought many advances to the field of dentistry, especially when it comes to restoration. If the time comes that you need significant restoration following a root canal or damage to one or more teeth, porcelain veneers now provide a durable, natural-looking option to get your smile shining again.
Dental crowns are used to cover and protect the exterior surface of a tooth, in the form of extremely thin, customized shells. They are permanently bonded to the tooth, and are used to treat a variety of issues.
In the past, repairs meant adding unattractive metal crowns or bridges to cover the remaining tooth. But with advances in dentistry, your smile can remain metal free without sacrificing strength and reliability.
1. Porcelain is More Visually Pleasing
Unlike metal crowns, porcelain crowns are a subtle solution for teeth reconstruction. Your natural teeth have a pearlescence to them, an inherent sheen unique to each person that is difficult to mimic.
But as your dentist creates the crowns that will be used in your restoration, their shade can be adjusted to match your individual teeth in terms of brightness and color. Once completed, this means that the repairs will be much less noticeable, even on close inspection.
2. Teeth are Less Sensitive with Metal Free Crowns
Compared to metallic crowns, many patients with porcelain crowns notice less sensitivity to hot and cold when eating or drinking. As metal is exposed to severe differences in temperature, it expands or contracts, causing additional discomfort.
Along with being uncomfortable, this shrinking and expansion can weaken the structure of the tooth, resulting in repairs being needed earlier than expected. It can also create additional space where bacteria can accumulate, increasing the risk of gum disease.
3. Fewer Implants are Necessary for Bridges with Non-Metal Crowns
When multiple teeth adjacent to each other call for repairs, your dentist will typically suggest that a bridge be used. A bridge is just what it sounds like – it ‘bridges’ the gap created by one or more missing or damaged teeth, anchored to the teeth adjacent to the gap.
With metal bridges, a separate implant is necessary for each crown that is attached. But with a metal-free bridge, for example, a bridge including four crowns can typically be installed using only two implants, making the procedure less intensive and more cost-effective.
4. Porcelain is Long-Lasting
One of the biggest appeals of porcelain crowns is their longevity – with proper care and regular dentist visits, they can last well over ten years. In many cases, crowns are still structurally and aesthetically sound after 20 years.
Keep in mind that crowns are a permanent procedure, and if not cared for, they can pick up stains. And unlike your natural teeth, they cannot undergo whitening treatments as a quick fix.
5. Porcelain Crowns Offer Versatility
Metal free crowns can be used to solve a variety of issues where extensive change is desired. Along with correcting teeth that have been significantly discolored, porcelain can be used to repair and reshape teeth that have been broken, have large gaps between them, or have suffered chips or cracks from trauma or a root canal.
Compared to metal crowns, porcelain crowns can provide a visually pleasing, long-lasting and strong solution to damaged teeth. Our office can typically make these repairs in just one visit – to learn more about Dr. Lordo’s metal-free procedures, visit us online or call 614-885-4754.