Dental Implants - Use Zirconia Crowns

The dental implant is known as one of the most useful tooth loss solutions in the dental industry. A dental implant will replace lost or damaged teeth, and provide improved function and overall appearance. The most important choice in the dental implant process is the decision regarding which crown material to use. The crown can be made from several different materials such as porcelain or gold, but one of the most useful material choices is zirconium.

Why Are Zirconium Crowns a Good Choice?

The most common dental implant crown materials are either gold or porcelain. More specifically, porcelain that has been fused to metal is the most common material used in modern dental implants. The fusion of metal and porcelain allows for the creation of a sturdy crown that can last many decades. However, the porcelain may break away from the metal over a period of time. Further, there may be a visible black line near the gums where the metal is revealed. 

Zirconium crowns have all of the benefits of porcelain with fewer drawbacks. There are a few solid reasons to choose a zirconium crown over porcelain.

• One of the most obvious perks is the removal of the black gum line. Zirconium is a composite material and does not have this gum-line issue.
• The zirconium crowns do not conduct temperature as readily as metal based crowns, so the over-sensitivity to hot and cold that normally accompanies a metal based crown will not occur.
• The most useful feature of zirconium crowns is their hardness. They are milled from a single chunk of material. This allows them to be five times more durable than porcelain, but less bulky that porcelain.

How Much Do Zirconium Crowns Cost?

The one downside of zirconium for use as a dental implant crown is the increased price involved. The average price for a single zirconium crown is $1000. The cost of a porcelain-fused-to-metal crown is lower. However, the higher price tag does provide several benefits that porcelain does not. Zirconium implants are very hard to damage due to their exceptional hardness and durability. They are strong enough to allow you to eat most food that you can eat with a normal tooth, and you won't have to worry about chipping or cracking in most situations.

Consider the cost of only needing one zirconium implant versus two or possibly even three porcelain-over-metal-crowns. The price will easily even out over time. For more information about crowns and implants, contact a professional such as Dr. Andres Maeso.