All-Ceramic Crowns – Northampton, MA • East Longmeadow, MA
Beautiful & Strong Dental Repair
A dental crown is a tooth-shaped “cap” that is placed over a tooth to restore its size and shape, improve strength, and enhance its aesthetic appearance. All ceramic crowns have created a new standard in cosmetic dentistry. They allow your dental restorations to be beautiful yet undetectable, giving you the most natural-looking smile possible. All-ceramic crowns are the jewel of aesthetic dentistry.
Why Choose EMA Dental for All-Ceramic Crowns?
- Custom-Designed for Each Patient
- Comfortable, State-of-the-Art Facility
- Team Led by Certified Prosthodontic Specialist
What is an All-Ceramic Crown?
All-ceramic crowns are made entirely of a high-quality ceramic material. They serve the same function as more traditional crowns, such as to protect weakened teeth, restore broken teeth, maintain a dental bridge, or to correct discolored and misshapen teeth. What makes these crowns unique and aesthetically superior over traditional metal or gold crowns is their ability to permit better light transmission through the body of the tooth. The thicker and more translucent porcelain can better mimic the way light penetrates the enamel of a natural tooth. This creates a superior looking restoration that mimics the lustrous look of real teeth and is virtually undetectable.
What Does the Procedure Entail?
All-ceramic crowns typically require two in office appointments after an initial consultation with your dentist. At the first visit, your dentist will remove any tooth decay and begin reshaping the tooth to fit a cap. An impression is taken to make a physical model of your tooth that is then sent to a carefully chosen dental laboratory to create your crown. A temporary crown will be made for you in-office to be worn while your permanent one is being made. After about three weeks, you will return to our office for a second visit so your all-ceramic crown can be permanently seated. Your dentist will place your crown using a light-sensitive resin cement to bond it to your tooth and achieve optimal aesthetics. The end result is a restoration that will look and perform like your natural tooth for years to come!
What are the Advantages of All-Ceramic Crowns?
- Superior aesthetics. The resulting restorations are very lifelike and natural-looking
- Ideal for fixing damaged or deformed anterior teeth where aesthetics are of critical importance
- Corrects discoloration of teeth without the process of teeth whitening
- Allows normal chewing that was prevented by damaged teeth
- Replaces absent teeth for improved health and appearance through the use of a dental bridge
What are the Disadvantages of All-Ceramic Crowns?
All-ceramic crowns contain no metal and thus typically cannot compare in terms of durability and longevity to metal or metal-ceramic crowns. There is a noted esthetic to strength trade-off. However, there is another option that combines the advantages of all-ceramic and the strength of metal.
Recent studies have shown that a new material, monolithic zirconium, may be stronger and more resistant to chipping and fracturing than conventional metal-ceramic crowns.
For this reason, all-ceramic crowns are not recommended in situations where strength and longevity are vital. The doctors at EMA Dental will advise you as to which crown system is best for both your cosmetic and functional needs.
Who is a Good Candidate for All-Ceramic Crowns?
All-ceramic crowns are ideal for patients looking to restore the natural form and function of their teeth in the “smile zone.” Their superior aesthetics allow them to mimic the lustrous appearance of natural teeth and be virtually undetectable. They are not recommended for severe bruxers or for the back teeth. The doctors at EMA Dental will advise you on whether or not all-ceramic crowns are the best of many options for your smile!