Can Zirconia Crowns Crack?
A dental crown is a cap like restoration that covers a tooth and protects it if it has been damaged or worn down. A tooth that is chipped, cracked, fractured, or broken will benefit from a dental crown. Dentists are now using zirconia more often for dental crowns because it is the strongest material available for restorations. Zirconia crowns can last for decades, even a lifetime, with proper care and consistent dental checkups.
Why Would You Need a Dental Crown?
Before your crown is placed, your dentist will perform an exam to identify why it is needed.
Crowns are used on teeth that have been compromised in some way. The most frequent causes for needing a zirconia crown include:
* The tooth has been chipped, cracked, broken, or fractured.
* The tooth has a large dental filling and has been structurally weakened.
* You recently had a root canal on the tooth, and it is beneficial to protect it.
* A dental implant was surgically placed, and the crown is your new artificial tooth.
The Different Materials Used for a Dental Crown
The distinct types of materials that can be used for crowns include:
* porcelain
* composite resin
* ceramic
* zirconia
* metal
* a combination of materials
You might have a porcelain crown that is fused to metal, as opposed to an all-porcelain crown.
Why Consider a Zirconia Crown?
Zirconia restorative dental crowns are made from zirconia dioxide, a metal oxide. The incredible strength of zirconia used for dental crowns comes from its crystal properties. Zirconia does not require any metal substructure for stability, is terrifically durable, and difficult to crack.
The benefits and advantages of choosing zirconia for a dental crown include:
* It is unbelievably durable.
* It will match the color of your natural teeth.
* Zirconia is biocompatible, it will not create any adverse reactions in your body.
* It can be created in your dentist's office and needs less preparation, which means you can be fitted for your crown in one appointment.
* Zirconia can even be layered with porcelain for an even more natural tooth appearance.
* It can be bonded or cemented to your tooth, giving your dentist more options for your specific circumstances.
Can a Zirconia Dental Crown Crack
A zirconia crown can indeed fracture. Although exceedingly rare, it can happen due to poor prep design, inappropriate material selection, or poor handling of the material.
* The main prep design problem is not allowing enough space for the crown. Specifically, the minimum occlusal reduction is 0.5 mm, but 1 mm is ideal.
* Another problem can be if your dentist prepped a high-quality brand zirconia but used another zirconia product. Not all of zirconia is the same and the prep clearance requirements vary.
* Leaving sharp corners or edges can be another prep design problem. This can create a contact point where the crack can begin. Abnormal stress concentration can occur where the sharp edge of the tooth meets the zirconia.
* There are flaws with the lab that manufactures the material causing an imperfection that will crack.
* Your dentist can cause a zirconia crown to crack by drilling on the crown, especially without adequate water spray. This is done when adjusting a crown to fit on the tooth preparation.
Finally, the most common cause of a zirconia crown cracking is simply that the crown was designed too thin.
