There are many different types of materials that we can use when a patient needs to have a dental crown placed. In clinical situations where esthetics are paramount, we can take advantage of newer ceramic improvements and fabricate what are known as all-ceramic crowns. Ceramic crowns are lifelike and have coloring and light reflecting properties that more resemble natural teeth. Plus, because the crowns are all-ceramic and have no metal, you will never see "black lines" around the edges.
As mentioned in our page about crowns, PFM crowns (porcelain-fused-to-metal) have successfully been in use in dentistry for decades. PFM crowns are esthetic and strong and do an excellent job of protecting teeth that require treatment with a crown. We use them for treatments including crowns for single teeth and dental bridges.
All porcelain (ceramic) crowns are as strong or stronger than traditional PFM restorations - so there is no compromise with esthetics and strength. In fact, we often recommend mouth guards for patients who have multiple ceramic crowns because of the possibility of wear.
One of the disadvantages of PFM crowns is that because they are built upon a layer of metal and don't reflect light very well, they are not the ideal solution for crowns in highly esthetic areas such as the front of the mouth. Because there is no metal foundation in a ceramic crown, color matching of ceramic crowns to your existing teeth is much better than in traditional PFM crowns.
