Your dentist may recommend a crown for many different reasons – it could be to cover up a badly decayed tooth, to finish off root canal therapy, to cover a crack or a chip or even just for the general appearance of the tooth. Crowns work like tooth caps – not only do they provide fortification for damaged teeth, they also help make them look more aesthetically appealing. If you choose to have regular crowns installed it will take a while before you can smile with confidence – it takes at least 2 visits to your dentist, the first during which he will take a mold of your teeth in order to make the crown and the second during which the crown will be fitted.
But what if you don’t have that kind of time? In today’s fast moving world, many people cannot afford to pay several visits to the dentist to have their smiles fixed. If this is the case for you it is best to talk to your dentist about Zirconia Crowns. These kinds of crowns are done using CAD design technology – a computer will create a digital image of teeth by scanning them using special software and then it will create digital crowns that are then printed and inserted. The crowns are made from one ceramic block and they are shaded and polished to match the rest of your teeth. How long does all this take? You will be able to have your crowns in one single visit.
What are the steps involved?
The first thing that the dentist will do is take images of the damaged tooth or teeth using an intraoral camera. These are then sent to a computer where special software examines the damage and then creates a digital repair or restoration. The restoration is then sent to a “printer” or milling machine that creates a crown out of a single ceramic block. One the dentist has the crown he will make sure it’s the right color and also polish it so that it can match the rest of your teeth all this will not take more than 15 minutes to do. The crown is then bonded to the damaged tooth and your smile is as good as new.
What are the benefits of Zirconia Crowns?
Apart from the fact that it takes a very short time to get these crowns in place there are several other benefits:
• The material that is used to make Zirconia Crowns looks and feels very much like your natural teeth which means that there is little or no discomfort once the crown is in.
• With ordinary crowns your dentist has to give you a temporary crown as he prepares your permanent one, a process that can take up to two weeks. Temporary crowns are not nearly as good as permanent ones and they are also uncomfortable. With Zirconia Crowns there is no need for temporaries – you will have your new crown ready and fitted in less than one hour.
• Zirconia Crowns last just as long as ordinary crowns. All crowns require care – you have to brush and floss as recommended and also see your dentist at least twice a year. If you take care of them properly they can last a lifetime, or you may find that you only need to change them once. Zirconia Crowns, despite the fact that they are fitted very fast will last just as long with proper care and maintenance.
• Some people worry that Zirconia Crowns will cost a lot more than ordinary crowns will. In fact, they cost just about the same which is a big plus when you consider that they are fitted in a short time and last for many years.
• With Zirconia Crowns you don’t have to choose what material you want your crown to be made out of. Ordinary crowns can be made from a variety of materials – metal, ceramic, porcelain fused to metal, zirconia or porcelain fused to zirconia – what you choose will depend on your budget and also what your dentist recommends. All Zirconia Crowns are made out of a ceramic block.
How do you care for Zirconia Crowns?
These crowns do not need any special care. After your crown is in it is recommended that you stay away from sticky or chewy foods and that you don’t bite down on anything hard as it may dislodge the crown. You should keep brushing twice a day as usual and flossing after meals. You should use a fluoride mouthwash or toothpaste to make sure that you don’t develop any sensitivity and that your other teeth are well protected. Your Zirconia Crowns may feel odd at first – it is only natural since it is something strange in your mouth – but after a while you will get used to it and you will not feel it t all.