Wondering about the dental implants vs dental crowns debate? Did you know that choosing one may save you thousands of dollars? So, which do you need?
When you’re ready to discover the differences between the two types of dental repair, so you can choose the one that’s right for you, read on.
What Are Dental Crowns?
A dental crown is a cap that covers a damaged tooth. The cap replaces the entire exposed surface of the tooth, and seals in the rest of the unprotected surface. Manufacturers design the crowns to end just below the gumline.
Porcelain-fused-to-metal (PFM) is usually thought of as the gold standard for tooth repair. These crowns have great mechanical properties and esthetics. They also fall in line with biological standards for periodontal health. You can check out https://www.smilesofwestpoint.com/ to learn more about dental crowns.
Their drawbacks include limited types of molds due to their metal latticework and layers of porcelain necessary to disguise the underlying gray color. They’re also expensive compared to other dental crowns.
Purely ceramic crowns are an alternative to PFM. Manufacturers design each crown with one of the dozens of different types of ceramic. Each ceramic has different properties, including tensile strength and color.
Zirconia
Glass-infiltrated alumina
Lithium disilicate
Leucite-reinforced glass
The benefit of all-ceramic crowns is their lack of metal latticework. Manufacturers can design them to any shape or specification.
Crowns made purely of resin were the first crowns available to the public, but they were discarded because they were often fractured. Recently, manufacturers have jumped back on the bandwagon. They’re designing those same implants with different types of resins, including those in the above list.
What Are Dental Implants?
Unlike crowns, dental implants require surgery. The root of your tooth extends past your gums, into the bone in your mandible (jaw). Because dental implants replace the entire tooth, root, and all, they require minor surgery to reach these roots.
Your dentist replaces the roots with a threaded metal post. He then screws an artificial replacement tooth onto the post to anchor it in place. One of the benefits of dental implants is that once they’re finished, they’re all but indistinguishable from real teeth.
Manufacturers can customize them to any color or shape. Unlike crowns, they never need to be replaced. If you’re curious about the many varieties of dental implants available, click here to learn more.
The Dental Implants Vs Dental Crowns Debate
So, do you need dental implants or dental crowns? Well, if your tooth is damaged but the root is still intact, you can get away with dental crowns. If the root is damaged, you can still use a crown if you’re willing to also have bridgework.
Bridgework is a metal bridge that ties a crown to the healthy teeth on either side. It’s a bit like a dental retainer that dentists use to straighten teeth.
You can opt for dental implants if the root of your tooth is damaged. They cost more and require minor surgery, but they don’t require replacement.
What’s Next?
Well, now you have all the information you need to understand the dental implants vs dental crowns debate. Is the root of your tooth damaged? Then, which dental repair is right for you?
If you’re curious to learn more about dental procedures, zip over to our ginormous library full of other health and beauty articles now.
