Dental Crown Types. Which is Best?

Dental crowns are needed when your tooth is too badly damaged to be restored with another kind of filling. It strengthens the tooth, protects it, and improves the shape, color, and overall appearance, if done correctly.

In this video, we will explain some different types of crowns and give you advice on which ones to go for and which ones to avoid, if possible.

Resin crowns are less expensive, tooth-colored crowns which can be done quickly, but they come at a huge disadvantage. They are made from a weak material that is usually used for small fillings. These crowns are prone to fractures, so avoid using them unless you have no other option.

Metal crowns are made of palladium alloy, gold alloy, or base metal alloys. Some are made of metal amalgam, which contains mercury. They are very strong and will last the longest, but they have major disadvantages. First, they look aesthetically unpleasing when you open your mouth to speak or smile. Second, some people have allergies to metal. Third, mercury amalgam can be harmful to the human body and is harmful to the environment. It has been outlawed in several countries, like Sweden, for example.

Emax is a synthetic form of porcelain called ceramic. When you hear people say porcelain, they are often referring to this kind of crown. The Emax crown has a lifelike shape and transparent color that provides an exact color match with the patient's own natural teeth. It has no metal alloy and thus does not affect the aesthetics around the gum line. The crown is long-lasting, strong, and less prone to fractures when compared to other traditional crown types.

Porcelain fused to metal is a very strong material due to its metal base. However, it requires a removal of 1.5 millimeters of tooth material to place the porcelain and metal layers. It lacks an aesthetic look due to its opaque metal portion. It often becomes dark, and the metal parts begin to show if there is gum recession. This means that you will have shiny bits of metal sticking out from your white crown near that gum line, and it looks bad.

An Emax or a zirconia crown is a much better option when one is looking for an aesthetically pleasing crown. Zirconia crown is long-lasting, easy to wear, and durable. The translucent look of zirconia blends well with the natural tooth color and thus provides the most pleasing appearance. It requires minimal tooth preparation and thus preserves most of the original tooth substance. The zirconia crown is tough and durable, but it can impose friction against the tooth root, including neighbouring teeth. Hence, an Emax crown would be favorable in cases that require preservation of the root structure.

Most dental clinics require multiple visits and one to two weeks to create and finish crowns. The Oaks Dental Clinic in Seoul, Korea, can do this in as little as 60 minutes since they have their own in-house lab. Crowns like zirconia can take a little bit longer as they need to have more preparation time, but Dr. Chau Min Bay and The Oaks Dental Clinic have the fastest turnaround time for dental restorations in the country.

As you can see here, they are creating a crown for one of our patients while she waits. In this case, for a tooth preparation, Emax crown creation and installation took just 55 minutes from start to finish.

Dr. Tommy Bay speaks English fluently, and the staff will guide you through your process in English. Dr. Tommy Bay graduated in first place at Seoul National University and has advanced degrees from Finland and from Germany.

Contact The Oaks Dental Clinic today for a consultation. Consultations are always free of charge, and Dr. Bay will honestly tell you what you need, what you don't need, and what is best for you.