What is Zirconium Crown? How is It Made?

A zirconium crown is a tooth coated with porcelain obtained from a material called zirconium. It contains no metal and consists entirely of zirconia ceramic. This ceramic is obtained by combining zirconium with oxygen in special furnaces. It has many advantages and is becoming an increasingly popular method both among dentists and patients.

What is Zirconium Crown?

Crowns are divided into two: Those that contain metal and those that do not contain metal. The zirconium crowns method does not contain metal content and consists entirely of the material called zirconium. In this way, it offers both a more natural and aesthetic appearance than metal-supported crowns.

How is Zirconium Crown Made?

In this method applied by dentists, the problem in the tooth is first detected. Then, the treatment plan is decided.

According to the plan, before the procedure begins, local anesthesia is applied to the areas to be treated to prevent pain and sensitivity. The teeth to be treated are reduced to the appropriate size for crowns and then impressions are taken. Afterward, the patient chooses the color of their new teeth on the color scale.

Zirconium crowns are prepared in approximately 4-5 days. In this process, temporary teeth are provided to prevent both sensitivity and aesthetic appearance.

After the crowns are ready, the temporary teeth are removed and the crowns are fixed with the help of special adhesives. After the procedure, the patient should not eat or drink anything for half an hour. The patient should also be checked at the intervals recommended by the dentist.

You can also read: What is Porcelain Crown? How is It Made?

Features of a Zirconium Crown

Zirconium dental crowns features can be summarized like this;

• It looks natural and does not create an artificial appearance.
• It is durable due to special firing processes.
• It is very difficult to break, wear and crack.
• It is resistant to corrosion and oxidation.
• It contains no metal content and is long-lasting.
• It has a translucent structure that transmits light and adapts to the main teeth.
• It is smooth and does not change color and is not affected by food.
• It is slippery and there is no plaque build-up.
• Since it does not contain a metal structure, it does not cause taste changes in the mouth.

The Process of Zirconium Crown Treatment

The crown treatment process is very easy to understand. At the beginning of the crown treatment process, the tooth is first reduced in size. Then, the patient's impressions are taken and temporary teeth are inserted to avoid problems during the preparation period. Meanwhile, the actual crown is prepared at the laboratory. It can be ready within 4-5 days. After they are prepared and arrived at the dental clinic, the temporary teeth are removed and the actual crown is adhered. The treatment is completed within a week in this way.

Since local anesthesia is applied during the application, no pain is felt and the temporary teeth prevent sensitivity and soreness. After the actual crown is applied, there is no feeling of pain or sensitivity. Since the construction material is compatible with the gums, there is no discoloration or gum disease in the gums. Zirconium crowns be used safely for many years if regular check-ups are made at intervals.

In patients with gum problems, gum treatment is applied first and then the actual application is started. In such a case, the process can last over a week.

Duration of Zirconium Crowns

The duration of the zirconium crown varies from person to person. Some people use it for 10-15 years, while others use it for a lifetime. In order to use it in a healthy way for many years, a doctor's examination should be done at regular intervals. Also, the patient needs to take good care of their crowns. You should not only brush your teeth but also floss and use antiseptic mouthwashes.

It is seen that dental crowns made in non-clinical environments, which are called under the stairs, have both a short lifespan and serious negative effects on oral and dental health. Crowns made in a clinical environment and regularly maintained after the procedure can be used for a lifetime.

To use dental floss properly after the crown treatment, you should read: How to Use Dental Floss? What Are The Benefits?

The Differences Between Zirconium and Other Types of Crowns

The dental crown model is selected according to the wishes and needs of the patients. There are many models with porcelain and ceramic structures made of different materials.

The difference between zirconium crowns and laminated veneers is the surface on which they are applied to. While laminated veneers are applied only on the front surface of the teeth, zirconium crowns cover the entire tooth. In addition, each tooth is treated separately in laminated veneers while the bridge technique can be applied when necessary in crown treatments.

The difference between zirconium and metal crown is due to the difference in the substructure material. Metals do not transmit light, which causes an unnatural matte appearance.

In metal veneers; allergic reactions are seen due to metal material. It may cause bruising or bad breath since it does not adapt to the gums as properly as zirconium. None of these are seen in zirconium crowns.

Who Can Get Zirconium Teeth?

The crown application is generally applied for the treatment and renewal of decayed teeth. It can also be applied to the front teeth to provide an aesthetic appearance and to the back teeth for strength and integrity.

Zirconium dental crowns can be applied in the treatment of separations between teeth. It can also be done in the treatment of broken, discolored, and crooked teeth. When the teeth whitening procedure does not benefit, the patient can consider having crowns.

Anyone who wants their teeth to have a more beautiful appearance can have this procedure done. However, since the jaw development of individuals under the age of 18 is not yet complete, it is not considered correct to perform the application. The jaw development must be expected to be completed.

Note: Whether the patient is suitable for zirconia treatment can only be understood after a dentist's control.

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About Zirconium Crowns

Among the most curious questions after crown treatments are: Which foods we should not consume? or, Whether food causes discoloring? Individuals who have crowns can eat any food they want, but as with natural teeth, it is necessary to be careful with hard-shelled and acidic foods. If dental care is done regularly, no discoloring is seen, and if it does occur, whitening can be done in a clinical environment.

It is also wondered whether pain sensation occurs during and after the treatment Since local anesthesia is applied during the procedure, there is no pain and no sensitivity afterward.

Do my crowns fall, or Would my teeth underneath get hurt if the crowns need to be taken out? These are also among the frequently asked questions. In crown treatment, special glue is used to prevent the crowns from falling off. It's very hard to remove crowns after they are permanently glued. When necessary, dentists use a special tool to remove them. The natural tooth is not damaged as it is removed in the clinical environment.