Although many of us make it a priority to look after our teeth by brushing and flossing daily, limiting our sugar intake, and ensuring that we make regular visits to Barotz Dental, tooth decay can still be a real problem.

When decay sets in, it can have a highly detrimental effect on the function and the appearance of our teeth. Decay can cause the tooth to erode, weaken and become damaged, or even become discolored or unsightly. Thankfully, there are restorative treatments that can help preserve our natural teeth, and one of the oldest and most common solutions is for a dentist to place a crown.

What is a crown?

A crown is a tooth-shaped cap that sits over the top of the affected tooth, sheathing it inside, so that it is no longer visible. Instead, the crown covers right down to the gum line, restoring the strength, shape, and the overall appearance of the tooth.

In the past, patients were limited to being given metal crowns. Needless to say, although they provided the functionality needed, they were obvious and considered unsightly.

Recognizing that patients desired something more discreet, manufacturers of crowns designed a porcelain variety, which are now much more commonly requested than metal varieties.

There are two varieties of porcelain crown that are widely available:

• Porcelain fused to metal (PFM) crowns, which combine the strength of metal with the appearance of porcelain, but sometimes the darkness of the metal can be partially visible through the crown
• 100% porcelain crowns

There are both advantages and some small disadvantages to each type of crown.

Benefits of porcelain crowns

Porcelain crowns provide a variety of benefits that couldn’t be achieved with former varieties. Some of the most common benefits, include:

Choice of shades

One huge benefit of choosing porcelain crowns is that they can be created in a wide variety of shades, making it easy to find one that closely resembles the color of your natural teeth. This helps to make them an extremely discreet solution.

Custom-crafted

Each porcelain crown is also custom-crafted so that the size and shape fit perfectly with your existing teeth. Again, this is a feature that improves the discretion of your crown, and it should be virtually imperceptible once secured in place.

Strength and durability

While all-metal crowns are the strongest variety, porcelain-fused-metal crowns are still found to be very strong and durable, making them a robust solution for your damaged teeth.

No dark shadow

One of the biggest benefits of 100% porcelain crowns is that they don’t have the dark inner shadow caused by a metal core. This helps to make all-porcelain crowns the most aesthetically-pleasing and natural looking variety.

Biocompatibility

If you choose crowns that are 100% porcelain, you can rest assured that your body should not react in any way. All-porcelain crowns are biocompatible, so there should be absolutely no risk of developing gum irritation or an allergic reaction.

If you have suffered damage or decay to one or more of your teeth, you could be an ideal candidate for a porcelain crown. Make an appointment with Barotz Dental, your dentist in Denver today to discuss your options.