Zirconia crowns

Zirconium crowns are a versatile prosthesis preferred by most patients. Such popularity is due to the increased strength characteristics of crowns, full biocompatibility and high precision of their manufacture, which is provided by CAD / CAM technologies.

What is a zirconium crown?

Zirconium crowns are made of zirconium dioxide, the raw material for which is the natural mineral ZrSiO4. In order to improve its performance characteristics, it is stabilized with yttrium and enriched with aluminum, due to which such material indicators as bending strength, stiffness, hardness are significantly increased.

Types of zirconium crowns

Two types of crowns can be made on the basis of zirconium: two-layer and monolithic. The former consist of a zirconium framework on which a ceramic layer is applied. They have a number of disadvantages, so they are practically not used at present.

Monolithic crowns are completely made of zirconium dioxide, which allows to obtain a structure with increased strength. Today, manufacturers offer a large selection of translucent dicosidzirconium blocks for the manufacture of crowns using CAD / CAM technology, which allows creating products that are identical to natural teeth.

Zirconium crowns for teeth: the main advantages

Zirconium dioxide dental crowns have a number of advantages:

• Biological compatibility. The material does not cause allergic reactions, does not have a negative impact on human health, and the appearance and characteristics of zirconium dioxide do not change under the influence of saliva.
• Natural appearance. Zirconia has a natural white color and optimal translucency, which makes zirconia crowns look like natural enamel.
• High strength. Zirconium is highly wear resistant. Zirconium oxide crowns are 30 times stronger than ceramic crowns, so they can be installed not only on the front teeth, but also on the chewing teeth, on implants.
• Minimum thickness. The thickness of zirconium crowns is from 0.3 to 0.4 mm (metal-ceramic – from 1.5 to 2 mm), so the tooth is sharpened slightly, which minimizes the likelihood of inflammation.
• Low thermal conductivity. This reduces the likelihood of discomfort with increased sensitivity of the tooth under the prosthesis.
• Exact fit. The production of zirconium dioxide crowns is carried out using innovative technologies and in automatic mode, which allows the most accurate copying of the shapes and contours of the abutment tooth. The gap between the crown and the tooth in this case does not exceed 30 microns, while when using cermets, it is 100-200 microns.

Zirconium crown: manufacturing technology

The creation of zirconia crowns is fully automated. To do this, dentistry uses CAD / CAM technology, with the help of which a crown can be made and installed in one visit.

The main stages of this process are:

• 1
  With the help of an oral scanner, the doctor takes pictures of the patient’s jaw.
• 2
  The resulting images are processed in software, as a result of which the specialist sees on the screen a three-dimensional model of the jaw with high detail.
• 3
  A 3D model of the crown is created, followed by a virtual “fitting”.
• 4
  The finished model is sent to the CAD / CAM system, where the process of its manufacture on milling equipment begins. Then the crown is sent for grinding. On average, these procedures take no more than 30 minutes.
• 5
  After that, the dentist tries on the crown on the patient’s tooth.

Zirconia crown: installation steps

The installation of crowns is carried out in several stages:

• Preparation and treatment. An examination of the oral cavity is carried out in order to identify violations. The teeth on which the crowns will be installed are cleaned from plaque and tartar. Caries treatment is performed if necessary. Then depulpation, filling of the canals is performed. In some cases, the walls are reinforced with a pin or a stump is formed from a ceramic inlay.
• Tooth preparation. Since zirconium dioxide crowns are of minimal thickness, the tooth is slightly ground before insertion.
• Work in the CAD / CAM system. A snapshot of the dentition is taken, a model of the prosthesis is created in special software, after which the data is transmitted to the milling equipment.
• Installation of the crown. The denture is placed on the tooth. If there are no comments from the patient, the crown is fixed with special cement.

Contraindications for the installation of zirconium crowns

Installation of zirconium crowns is not performed in the following cases:

• 1
  serious pathologies of bite and location of teeth;
• 2
  chronic periodontitis;
• 3
  bruxism.

Zirconium prosthetics at Amel Dental Clinic in Dnipro (Dnipropetrovsk)

Zirconium crowns are metal-free microprostheses that are ideal for restoring the aesthetic characteristics and functionality of anterior teeth and molars, while having minimal contraindications for installation. The process of creating crowns in our dental clinic is fully automated, so we guarantee our patients maximum comfort at all stages: from the beginning of treatment to wearing them. The unprecedented precision of manufacturing zirconia crowns is achieved through the use of modern CAD / CAM technology.