All ceramic crowns

These are a type of cosmetic crown which are made purely from ceramic and no other material. This is in contrast to other types of crowns such as the porcelain fused to metal variety and gold crowns.

The defining feature of these crowns is that they are made from a translucent material which is attractive to look at and blends in well with the rest of your teeth.  

This means a top quality crown which will last for many years. The majority of all ceramic crowns are produced using computer technology, e.g. CAD/CAM technology which is based upon 3D design.

Another option is metal ceramic crowns.

There are two types of ceramic crown:

• Zirconia
• E-Max

These are both discussed further in separate sections.

Advantages of all ceramic crowns

These crowns are ideally suited to people who have minimal space within their mouth for a crown or prefer something which has a natural appearance.

They are made from a thinner material which results in a lighter crown. Plus the material used is ‘bio-compatible’  which is kind to natural gum tissue and enables it to grow back alongside the crown.

There is no risk of an allergic reaction or sensitivity to hot or cold foods.

Disadvantages of all ceramic crowns

Whilst there are advantages of these crowns it is only fair to highlight the disadvantages as well.

There appears to be a trade off between aesthetics and strength: this type of crown is lifelike and pleasant to look at but there is a downside. It is less durable than other types of crowns which mean it is more prone to cracking or breaking.

Plus the refinement needed to produce these crowns makes them more difficult to fit. They require a high degree of expertise on the part of the dentist which increases their cost.

How are all-ceramic crowns fitted?

The procedure is the same as for any fitting of a crown. The dentist will clean and reshape the tooth to be treated as a form of preparation. The tooth is tapered so that it will allow the crown to fit snugly over the top.

An impression is then taken of your teeth with dental putty. This mould is sent to a dental laboratory where it will be used to fabricate a new crown.

It takes around 2 to 3 weeks for this to happen so you will be fitted with a temporary crown in the meantime.

Once it is ready you will asked to return to the surgery where you will be fitted with your new crown. This involves the dentist roughing the surface of the affected tooth with etching acid which will enable the crown to adhere to the tooth.

This will be checked by your dentist. Once both of you are satisfied with the fitting then it will be fixed firmly in place with dental cement.

Take care of your new crown. There is research being undertaken into the longevity of all ceramic crowns so take care not to put too much pressure upon it. Be careful when eating hard/crunchy foods and avoid grinding your teeth.