Zirconium crown

Zirconium crowns are gaining great popularity among dental prosthetics in Ukraine, and not for nothing: this technology of tooth restoration is one of the most reliable, aesthetic, safe, and durable in the history of dentistry. Such crowns are not created manually, they are turned on a computer milling machine from a block of zirconium oxide. Full automation of the process guarantees the perfect shape and accuracy of the prosthesis, as the system regulates the creation of the structure down to microns.

Dobrobut Dental Clinic in Kyiv offers you to experience all the benefits of a progressive method of dental prosthetics. We have extensive experience in the market of dental services in Ukraine, so we guarantee the highest level of service and highly qualified work of our specialists. In addition, in our arsenal only modern diagnostic and treatment equipment, individual approach to each patient, loyal prices.

Zirconium crown can be installed for the following reasons:

• destruction of the crown surface of the tooth by more than 50%;
• incorrect position or abnormal development of the front teeth, which can not be eliminated by orthodontic methods;
• the need to eliminate the aesthetic defect of the natural crown of the tooth (for example, the presence of visible cracks and chips, severe dulling of the enamel, which can not help professional whitening);
• change of existing crowns that do not suit aesthetic or functional criteria;
• the presence of an allergic reaction to other materials.

Restrictions on the choice of such a method of prosthetics are imposed only if the patient has small teeth of small height, too deep bite, or is diagnosed with bruxism. It is necessary to postpone the prosthetic procedure in the presence of inflammatory diseases of the oral cavity until complete recovery.

Types of zirconium crowns

There are two main types of zirconium crowns:

• two-layer - have a frame of zirconium dioxide, which is covered with layers of porcelain. They are also called metal-free crowns. This option is more suitable for front teeth because it has better aesthetic characteristics.
• all-zirconium (monolithic) - made exclusively of zirconium dioxide. They have high strength but look less aesthetically pleasing. Such crowns are most often installed on the masticatory molars.

The advantages of zirconium crowns are:

• high aesthetic qualities;
• variability of shades that allows to pick up the natural color of a crown;
• the long service life of at least 20 years;
• resistance to masticatory load and influence of coloring pigments of food;
• rapid rehabilitation due to low-trauma installation;
• hypoallergenicity, biocompatibility;
• low thermal conductivity, which helps protect the tooth from the effects of temperature changes;
• the small thickness of a skeleton and as a result, the minimum turning of a tooth for its fixing;
• low risk of caries and periodontal disease due to tight fit to the tooth;
• not prone to oxidation and corrosion.

The disadvantage of zirconium teeth, experts believe, is the need to use complex equipment in the process of milling crowns, which causes the high cost of prosthetics.

The process of making zirconium crowns:

• The intraoral scanner forms a virtual mold that is processed (CAD program).
• The resulting model is scanned while saving the three-dimensional image in digital format.
• Next, the image of the future crown is modeled, which is transmitted to the milling equipment (CAM);
• The robotic mechanism creates a precise framework of the future prosthesis from a block of zirconium dioxide;
• The frame of the crown is subjected to heat treatment, which gives it high strength;
• The final stage is the processing of the crown in the laboratory.

How is the installation of zirconium crowns?

Preparation for the process begins with the dentist's assessment of the condition of the oral cavity, determining the feasibility of installing a prosthesis. If necessary, the oral cavity is rehabilitated, inflammation and other restrictions are eliminated. Next, the doctor begins to prepare the tooth, under the action of anesthesia is filling the canals, installing a cult tab, turning the tooth. The specialist takes an impression of the dentition, creates a plaster model, and sends it to the laboratory to make a crown using computer simulation technology. During this period, a temporary crown can be installed to protect the prepared tooth. At the end of the prosthesis, the dentist invites the patient to try on a zirconium tooth, if all is well - installation it on permanent cement.

How to care for crowns made of zirconium dioxide?

Care for zirconia dentures is no different from your usual care for natural teeth and includes:

• daily hygienic brushing with special toothpaste. Brush your zirconium teeth twice a day in the morning and evening;
• the need to rinse your mouth with water after each meal, using dental floss (floss) to clean the interdental spaces;
• it is recommended to use toothpaste with a high degree of abrasiveness;
• it is necessary to limit the use of solid foods, such as seeds, nuts, etc.

Bibliography:

1. Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery. Zirconia Abutments for Single-Tooth Implants—Rationale and Clinical Guidelines, November 2009.
2. Güth, Jan-Frederik; Stawarczyk, Bogna; Edelhoff, Daniel; Liebermann, Anja - Zirconia and its novel compositions: What do clinicians need to know?. Published online, 2019.
3. The Journal of the Indian Prosthodontic Society. In vitro evaluation of fracture resistance and cyclic fatigue resistance of computer-aided design-on and hand-layered zirconia crowns following cementation on epoxy dies, Published online, 2020
4. International Journal of Clinical Pediatric Dentistry. Use of Restorative Full Crowns Made with Zirconia in Children: A Systematic Review, 2020