Zirconia Dental Crown Disadvantages & Advantages

Finding the right material for dental restorations is crucial to meeting your patients’ personalized needs. As a result, providers are constantly deciding which materials will maximize the patient benefit with minimal drawbacks.

Finding the right material for dental restorations is crucial to meeting your patients’ personalized needs, with zirconia becoming one of the most popular. This material is well-liked by dental professionals and patients for aesthetic dental crowns and restorations, and for good reason. Zirconia dental crowns offer a strong yet realistic-looking replacement for natural teeth. 

What Are Zirconia Crowns?

Zirconia crowns are made from a type of monolithic ceramic called zirconium dioxide, and they provide patients with a full coverage, long-lasting, and durable restoration. First introduced in 2011 as an alternative to porcelain-fused-to-metal (PFM) crowns, zirconia crowns are metal-free, comfortable for the patient, and remarkably natural-looking.

Zirconia crowns are also highly versatile, as the chemical formulation of the material allows for them to be customized and fitted for each individual case. There are three main types of zirconia crowns, each with its own advantages.

How Long Do Zirconia Crowns Last?

Zirconia dental crowns are able to last up to 20 years or even a lifetime, provided they are properly maintained and cared for. With PRO-Craft's restorations, our unique hand-pumicing and polishing technique further enhances the quality of zirconia dental crowns by reducing wear from chewing or friction. 

When to Use Zirconia Dental Crowns

Due to its many benefits, zirconia dental crowns are great restorations for many kinds of use cases, but they’re especially beneficial for patients:

• With metal allergies
• Needing durable crowns in high-stress areas
• Who grind or clench their teeth
• Who value aesthetics
• Wanting a long-lasting restoration

Given the numerous benefits this material offers in various cases, it’s no wonder zirconia dental crowns are so popular among patients and dental professionals. There are still some instances where other materials might be a better option, though. For example, a PFM (Porcelain Fused to Metal) crown might be better suited for a budget-conscious patient, while an IPS e.max crown might be preferred by a patient replacing a tooth in the front. 

Types of Zirconia Material

Zirconia crowns are highly versatile, as the chemical formulation of the material allows them to be customized and fitted for each patient. There are three main types of zirconia dental crowns, each with its advantages.

Monolithic Solid Zirconia

Monolithic solid zirconia crowns are the strongest option for zirconia material and require the least occlusal clearance. However, the monolithic zirconia's construction also makes it more opaque than other options, so it is a little less realistic and better suited for posterior teeth.

Layered Zirconia

Layered zirconia is processed by using a block of zirconia and then hand-layering the porcelain to achieve the ideal appearance, matching the natural translucency of the surrounding teeth.

This zirconia material is more translucent and opalescent, making it a more realistic choice and a popular option for anterior crowns. However, layered zirconia does require more clearance for placement.

Translucent Zirconia

Translucent zirconia, also known as high-translucent zirconia, is the ideal option for patients who prioritize aesthetics without needing multiple layers. The material disk we mill has a built-in layering that gradually transitions from gingival to occlusal. The translucent appearance allows the zirconia material to reflect the color of the surrounding teeth and better blend in with your natural teeth. Translucent zirconia offers esthetic benefits without compromising the high durability for which zirconia is known.

Zirconia Crown Disadvantages and Advantages

Despite their popularity, getting a zirconia crown comes with both pros and cons. For example, patients who are allergic to this specific material may still experience some zirconia implant side effects. If the restoration isn’t placed correctly, there also might be some infection risks, as is the case with most types of restorations.

Where you obtain your zirconia dental crowns also makes a significant difference in their quality. For example, at PRO-Craft, our hand-pumicing and polishing process helps make the appearance even more realistic by creating a smooth, lifelike surface. Even better, this process helps limit plaque accumulation and reduce wear, so the crowns look better and last longer than you could imagine.

3 Zirconia Crown Advantages

In just 13 years since its introduction, zirconia has become one of the best options for dental restorations, meeting a wide range of patient needs. 
The following are some of the zirconia crown advantages:

1. Impressive Biocompatibility

Zirconia dental crowns are completely metal-free for a more comfortable and natural fit while eliminating the risk of allergic reactions for patients with metal sensitivities. For example, PRO-Craft's custom natural anatomical library allows for restorations that provide an ideal fit and maximum comfort. 

2. Reliable Strength

Zirconia dental crowns are highly durable and resistant to the forces of daily biting and chewing, making them well-suited for long-term use. It is considered the strongest material available for esthetic dental crowns, outperforming both porcelain and PFM restorations. With a strength rating of around 1000 MPa, zirconia dental crowns offer superior resistance to chipping and cracking. 

3. Great Natural Appearance

Zirconia is excellent for achieving natural-looking restorations. Modern zirconia crowns now feature translucency that more closely imitates the appearance of natural teeth, as well as accurate shade for each crown. As zirconia continues to evolve within the dental industry, its appearance will only become more lifelike. 

3 Zirconia Crown Disadvantages

Zirconia offers few disadvantages, and they rarely outweigh the benefits. However, here are the most significant disadvantages of zirconia dental crowns for providers and patients.

1. More Significant Tooth Reduction

Zirconia dental crowns must have a minimal marginal depth of 0.6mm and an axial wall reduction of at least 1.0mm on top of a 1.5mm occlusal reduction. The additional space required can make preparation more challenging and time-consuming, although it’s still much less than that of a traditional PFM crown.

2. A Newer Option

One of the more significant Zirconia crown problems is that there’s still more to learn about these types of dental crowns, as they have only been available since 2010. Although zirconia dental crowns are popular and have served their purpose well so far, there has been limited opportunity to study their longevity. However, they have high survival rates in patients who use them, with a 98% survivability after 5 years. 

3. Higher Price

Zirconia material is more expensive compared to ceramic, metal, or porcelain crowns. However, you can still get a zirconia crown at a lower price than some lithium disilicate crowns. The cost of zirconia dental crowns also depends on your geographic location, so you should always contact a lab for an accurate price estimate. Plus, for many patients and providers, a zirconia crown at a slightly higher price is well worth the benefits of working with expert practitioners on high-quality restorations.

Find Quality Zirconia Restorations at PRO-Craft

Altogether, zirconia material offers several advantages for strong, realistic restorations with minimal drawbacks. You can explore your options for zirconia restorations at PRO-Craft Dental Laboratory, as we provide three different types of zirconia dental crowns, along with other restorations and tools like our: 

• Custom Abutments
• All-Z Full Arch Implant Prosthesis Solutions
• Z-Prime™ Plus - Zirconia Primer

At PRO-Craft Dental Laboratory, we go above and beyond the typical restoration process so that every patient can enjoy comfortable, realistic teeth. From our hand-polishing process to our anatomical library on natural tooth morphology, we take every step to ensure patient satisfaction. Contact us today to discover more about our proprietary process and the benefits it can bring to your patients.