Dentists frequently recommend zirconia all-ceramic teeth for long-term patient benefits. Here’s why they prefer this option. Consider a scenario where a patient with serious head and neck injuries required surgery. An MRI was necessary before the procedure, but the presence of metal crowns on teeth 4 and 5 interfered with the MRI images, necessitating their removal. This issue was compounded by the patient’s inability to be positioned in a dental chair due to endotracheal intubation, creating significant inconvenience for both the patient and medical professionals. Such situations underscore the importance of avoiding metal crowns that can obstruct critical MRI scans.
Therefore, when choosing between metal and all-ceramic dental crowns, dentists often advocate for zirconia ceramic crowns. These crowns do not interfere with MRI or CT scans and are considered highly reliable.
Now, let’s delve into why zirconia ceramic teeth are recommended. For years, porcelain-fused-to-metal (PFM) crowns have been a common choice for dental restorations. However, PFM crowns can release metal ions, leading to issues such as gum discoloration, bleeding, and recession. Additionally, they can look less natural due to differences in translucency and color compared to natural teeth, often resulting in a bluish-gray appearance under light.
PFM crowns also tend to be unstable in the acidic oral environment and can create metal artifacts during CT or MRI scans. To address these challenges, the dental industry has shifted towards zirconia ceramic crowns, which are non-metallic and offer improved stability and aesthetics.
Zirconia crowns appear more natural compared to metal-ceramic crowns, which can develop a visible black edge. In terms of safety, zirconia demonstrates excellent biocompatibility, having no toxic effects on bone and soft tissue cells, and has shown no allergic reactions in numerous studies and clinical cases.
Though sometimes mistaken for a metal due to its chemical components, zirconia is an oxide ceramic, distinct from metallic zirconium. The zirconium dioxide used in medical applications is rigorously processed to remove impurities and meet strict safety standards. Its radioactivity is lower than that of glass ceramics and even human bone tissue.
Regarding durability, studies reveal that zirconia teeth have a lower fracture rate than traditional porcelain restorations. Fractures typically occur within the porcelain layer itself rather than at the interface with the zirconia. Proper design and treatment by experienced dentists can prevent common issues like porcelain fracture, ensuring reliable results.
Zirconia teeth offer advantages such as low radioactivity, high density, and strength, with no metal inner core. They possess unique anti-fracture properties that make them suitable for long dental bridges, providing superior aesthetics with a refractive index similar to natural teeth.
Moreover, zirconia does not produce metallic odors and does not corrode, maintaining freshness over time. It also doesn’t block X-rays, meaning crowns can remain in place during head X-rays, CT scans, or MRIs, eliminating unnecessary hassle.
Zirconia’s excellent biocompatibility ensures it does not irritate gums or cause allergic reactions, avoiding the adverse effects associated with metal alloys. Although zirconia all-ceramic teeth are more expensive due to advanced production processes involving computer-aided design and laser scanning, their precision and excellent fit significantly reduce post-restoration complications.
In conclusion, zirconia porcelain crowns are currently the best choice both domestically and internationally, offering numerous benefits without inherent drawbacks, aside from their cost.
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