Crowns or bridges made entirely of ceramic materials are available. There are numerous types and brand names of these restorations.
Advantages Of Ceramic Crowns And Fixed Prostheses
- They can be constructed to a highly acceptable esthetic level. Usually, these restorations are the most beautiful restorations in dentistry.
- Ceramic restorations do not have metal undercopings, as do porcelain-fused-to-metal crowns. Therefore, these crowns are biologically compatible and have extremely low allergenicity or toxicity.
Disadvantages Of Ceramic Crowns And Fixed Prostheses
- Some of these restorations may not be as strong as metal or porcelain-fused-to-metal restorations. If your bite is especially abusive, some ceramic restorations may not have adequate strength for you. Occasionally during service, some brands of all-ceramic restorations break and must be replaced.
- Some brands of ceramic restorations can be made into fixed prostheses(bridges) with adequate longevity expectations and others cannot. If you have a need for an optimum esthetic result or you have allergies to metals used in dentistry, you may want to consider all-ceramic restorations. If not, porcelain-fused-to-metal or metal restorations may be a better choice.
Polymer (Plastic) Crowns And Fixed Prostheses (Bridges)
Tooth-colored polymers are used as tooth restorations in some situations. However, porcelain-fused-to-metal crowns are the most popular type of tooth-colored crown. If you have allergies to the metals used in dentistry and tooth-colored restorations are necessary, you may be required to consider polymer restorations.
Advantages of Polymer Restorations
- They do not wear opposing teeth during chewing.
- Some brands of polymer restorations can be constructed into fixed prostheses(bridges) when teeth are missing.
- Polymer restorations have very low allergenicity or toxicity.
Disadvantages of Polymer Restorations
- Opposing tooth structure wears the polymer restorations over a period of years.
- It is more difficult to achieve optimum tooth color matching with polymerthan with porcelain.
- Polymer restorations are not as strong as porcelain-fused-to-metal restorations.