Here’s a commonly accepted truth: Dentists suggest opting for zirconia all-ceramic teeth because they are considering your long-term health benefits.
Allow me to clarify why dentists endorse zirconia all-ceramic teeth. There was once a patient who sustained a severe head and neck injury necessitating surgery. Prior to the operation, an MRI scan was needed, but it was found that the patient had metal crowns on teeth 4 and 5. These metal crowns compromised the MRI image quality, necessitating their removal. However, due to the need for endotracheal intubation, the patient couldn’t be placed in a dental chair, causing significant inconvenience for both the patient and the medical team.
This incident drew significant attention from many dental professionals because obstructed MRI scans could delay life-saving procedures.
Thus, when dental patients need to choose between metal or all-ceramic crowns, most dentists recommend zirconia ceramic crowns. These are dependable and do not interfere with MRI or CT scans.
Now, let’s delve into the specifics of zirconia all-ceramic teeth.
Why is it recommended to choose zirconia ceramic teeth?
For a long time, porcelain-fused-to-metal (PFM) crowns have been a favored method for dental restorations. However, the metal ions released from PFM crowns can elicit adverse reactions such as gum discoloration, bleeding, and recession. Moreover, the translucency, color, and shape of PFM crowns differ significantly from natural teeth, resulting in a bluish-gray effect under light.
Furthermore, PFM crowns are unstable in the oral cavity’s acidic environment and can cause metal artifacts during CT or MRI scans. Hence, the dental industry has been endeavoring to rectify this issue. Currently, the most popular choice in the international dental community is the latest non-metallic zirconia ceramic crowns.
Metal-ceramic crowns have a black edge while zirconia all-ceramic teeth appear more natural.
Now, regarding zirconia’s safety. In terms of biocompatibility, zirconia used in medical and dental applications has shown excellent performance. Over the years, numerous experiments and clinical cases have demonstrated that zirconia does not exhibit any toxic effects on bone and soft tissue cells, and there have been no reports of allergic reactions.
Zirconia is sometimes mistaken for a metal. This confusion stems from the chemical concept of combining metal elements and metals. Zirconia is not metallic zirconium or zirconium oxide. Although it contains metallic elements, it is an oxide ceramic, similar to the difference between sodium chloride (table salt) and metallic sodium.
Regarding concerns about zirconia’s radioactivity, it’s crucial to note that zirconium dioxide used for medical purposes undergoes multiple steps such as purification and powder processing to remove all impurities. The National Medical Products Administration in China has stringent standards for all ceramic materials on the market, and only those that meet the requirements of radiology experiments can be used as medical materials. This applies not only to zirconia but also to other ceramics like alumina oxide and glass ceramics. Studies have shown that the radioactivity of pure zirconia powder is lower than that of glass ceramics and even lower than that of human bone tissue.
As for the fracture rate of zirconia ceramic teeth, numerous studies have indicated that they have a lower fracture rate than traditional porcelain restorations. Research shows that fractures in zirconia ceramics mainly occur within the porcelain itself rather than at the interface between the porcelain and the zirconia crown. The main reasons for porcelain collapse include poorly designed bottom crown shapes, excessive porcelain application, and improper temperature control during porcelain sintering, such as rapid cooling. Proper handling after jaw adjustment, such as enamel firing or standard three-step polishing, is also crucial. Therefore, choosing a reputable clinic and experienced dentists can completely avoid these issues, making zirconia ceramic teeth repairs a safe option.
Advantages of Zirconia Ceramic Teeth:
Low Radioactivity:
Zirconia ceramic teeth possess low radioactivity, high density, and high strength without a metal inner crown. They have unique anti-fracture properties and strong curing properties even after fracturing, making them suitable for restoring long bridges that other all-ceramic systems cannot achieve.
Excellent Aesthetic Effects
Despite lacking metal support, zirconia ceramics have high strength, an index of refraction similar to natural teeth, high edge tightness, and excellent aesthetic effects. They also possess good transparency and refractive properties, eliminating unsightly black lines at the neck of the teeth.
Highest Reliability
Zirconia does not produce metallic odors. When exposed to air, water, or other electrolytes, it quickly forms a thin oxide film, preventing metal corrosion and eliminating metallic odors. Additionally, non-metallic zirconia does not obstruct X-rays, making it unnecessary to remove zirconia crowns for head X-rays, CT scans, or MRI, thus avoiding considerable inconvenience.
Excellent Biocompatibility
Zirconium dioxide is a high-tech biomaterial with good biocompatibility, superior to various metal alloys, including gold. It is suitable for oral applications as it does not irritate the gums or cause allergic reactions, avoiding the adverse reactions associated with metals in the oral cavity.
Extremely High Quality
Zirconia all-ceramic teeth are not only costly due to the materials and equipment used but also because they utilize advanced computer-aided design and laser scanning technologies. The production process is controlled by computer programs, ensuring the accuracy of the internal crowns and excellent edge tightness. This results in a perfect fit between the fabricated ceramic teeth and the patient’s natural teeth, significantly reducing the incidence of root inflammation after restoration.
Apart from being relatively expensive, zirconia all-ceramic teeth have no significant disadvantages compared to other similar restoration methods.
In conclusion, zirconia porcelain crowns made from zirconia material are currently the best choice both domestically and internationally. They exhibit no inherent drawbacks.
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