The issue of restoring heavily damaged or missing teeth is quite serious. First of all, you need to choose a material for the manufacture of prostheses. The two most popular today are zirconia and cermets. Below we will examine in detail both types of prostheses, determining their advantages and disadvantages, as well as comparing price and quality.
So, which is better - cermets or zirconia?
Cermets
The material is based on a durable metal alloy that allows you to perfectly fit the crown for the tooth. The frame is not oxidized. A special ceramic chip coating is applied on it to make the future prosthesis more aesthetic.
Such designs rarely lead to allergic reactions, which makes them popular, especially among people with hypersensitivity. Most often you can find prosthetics of the chewing department using cermets. This is due to the fact that the material itself is very strong, durable and reliable. The cost of the crown is quite high.
In terms of aesthetics
Ceramic-metal prostheses are not the most attractive in terms of tooth aesthetics. However, the choice of colors is quite diverse, which makes it possible to choose the right for the natural color of the teeth. An important point of this type of prosthetics is that the base does not darken and the rejection option after installation is negligible.
pros
The undoubted advantage of installing a ceramic-metal construction is the practically absent probability of allergies, infection or rejection (provided that all implantation rules are observed). The materials of the crowns are completely non-toxic and safe for humans. However, the reaction to the installation of ceramic-metal prostheses can be individual for each person. Many are interested in what is better - cermets or zirconium dioxide.
The absence of side effects also depends on the base material. Nickel and chromium are allergens. Even less noble metals will be extremely short-lived due to their property of oxidizing upon contact with saliva.
Unconditional advantages of cermet structures are wear resistance, hardness and durability. The disadvantage is the ability to erase the top layer of the coating, which exposes the frame.
As mentioned above, the installation of cermets occurs mainly on the chewing area of the oral cavity, since it is subjected to the greatest load. However, such loads will also be on the crowns, which can lead to rapid erasure of the upper ceramic layer. We consider zirconium crowns below.
How is allergy manifested?
An allergic reaction can occur, albeit very rarely. This effect is not caused by the prosthesis coating, but by its metal alloy frame. An allergy to a ceramic prosthesis is manifested as follows:
- Burning and itching of the gums in the place of installation of the prosthesis.
- Metallic taste in the mouth.
- Swelling of the tongue in contact with the prosthesis.
If, after installing a cermet crown, the above symptoms appear, you should consult your dentist. Most likely, the prosthesis will be replaced with a similar one with a non-metallic base.
Color spectrum
The color range of ceramic prostheses is very diverse, which allows you to choose the perfect shade that repeats the natural color of the teeth. Since ceramic-metal prostheses do not pigment and do not absorb dyes from food, they do not change color over time. They do not need to undergo bleaching procedures, which is their advantage compared to standard types of fillings.
Guarantee
Contrary to the widespread belief that such designs do not have an expiration date, a warranty is given for each prosthesis. Approximately this period ranges from 5 to 12 years. It all depends on the thoroughness and regularity of denture care. A lot also depends on the dentist who installs the design. The guarantee of the dental clinic provides for the absence of chips, cracks and destruction during the entire period of action.
Which is better - cermets or zirconia is very difficult to solve.
Caries, however, can greatly reduce the warranty period, so it is necessary to regularly check with the dentist for the purpose of prevention. Wearing the structure for longer than the allotted period can cause tooth loss.
Stages
The installation of cermet structures in several stages. At the initial stage, the patient undergoes therapy for caries, periodontal disease, etc. After that, the teeth in the place of installation of the prosthesis grind completely, and the nerve is removed. Next, a cast of the turned teeth is taken to create a prosthesis in the laboratory.
The construction takes about two weeks. Sometimes prosthetists leave a small protrusion from the tooth, which allows the structure not to touch the tissues and, accordingly, reduces the likelihood of allergies, rejection or bleeding. The cost of the crown depends on the pricing policy of the dental clinic.
Care Rules
The regularity and correctness of the care of the prosthesis will significantly extend its service life. To do this, just follow a few rules:
- Brush your teeth at least twice a day.
- Teeth are cleaned with leisurely movements: lower from bottom to top, upper from top to bottom.
- Use dental floss if necessary.
In exceptional cases, discomfort and pain in the area of the prosthesis may appear. There are situations when corrective measures are necessary, for example, crown restoration. The average cost is about 9 thousand rubles. What other dental crowns are there?
Zirconium dioxide
Such material is quite popular and in demand in prosthetics, as it has a number of advantages over other types. Their prevalence is not impeded even by the high price. Zirconia is durable and hypoallergenic, as well as durable.
The advantages of this type of material include its absolutely natural appearance, which is attractive from the point of view of aesthetics. A special composition is applied to the finished structure, which makes the naturalness of the teeth even more pronounced. Zirconium crowns are placed closest to the gum, as a neat fit is made. This helps minimize the risk of complications and inflammatory processes on the gums.
Durability
Reliable and durable crown fastening ensures the durability of the prosthetic socks. Destruction and loosening of the tooth with this type of prosthetics are excluded. Warranty for a zirconium prosthesis for at least 20 years. In addition to all these advantages, zirconium has an antibacterial effect, which does not allow caries to develop.
Zirconia crowns on the front teeth have recently been installed more and more often.
The installation of a zirconium prosthesis is painless and simple. The new technology allows you to model your teeth individually, allowing you to give them a completely natural look. In the future, even a third-party specialist may not immediately determine the presence of a prosthesis.
Training
As in the case with cermets, before installing the crown, it is necessary to go through certain stages of preparation, namely:
- The patient's lips are treated with a special gel to soften.
- The tooth to be treated is wrapped with a thread to protect the gums from damage and injury.
- At the final stage of preparation, the tooth is turned with a special diamond tip. This processing method is the most gentle and soft. Materials for dentistry are constantly being improved.
Production stages
The manufacturing process and installation of zirconium prostheses also consists of several stages:
- The abutment teeth are specially trained by the dentist. Root canals are cleaned, obsolete fillings are replaced with new ones, caries and other dental problems are treated.
- Grinding teeth to support the prosthesis and making casts using a soft mold made of silicone.
- Next, a scan is performed to create a 3D model of the prosthesis.
- Crowns perfectly match prepared and turned teeth, which is the result of modern software. The model is created in two projections based on zirconium and the upper aesthetic layer.
- The created model is transferred to a special milling machine with high precision. He automatically produces a zirconium model. Next, the workpiece is fired to increase the strength of the material.
- The specialist, using modern technologies, imposes the mass layer upon layer on the base, then the structure is again subjected to heat treatment in order to glue the applied layers together.
- A selected shade of dye is applied to the treated prosthesis, and again the structure is fired. After that, the crowns are considered finished, and they can be installed.
- Installation and fixation of prostheses takes place using a cement-based mortar. Excessive fastening material is removed if necessary.
What are dental crowns is now known.
Zirconia prostheses are installed for a maximum of three hours, which depends on the complexity of the procedure and the individual characteristics of the patient's oral cavity.
Special care or purchase of specialized products for this zirconium crown is not required. Compliance with standard rules of oral hygiene will be sufficient. To increase the effectiveness of the care and the length of the wear of the prosthesis, you can use small brushes for cleaning. This will help clean up leftover food from even the most inaccessible places. Regular check-ups at the dentist are also part of a complete oral and crowns care. A comparison of cermets and zirconia is often carried out.
Even despite the fact that zirconium crowns are available for installation to almost every patient, this type of prosthetics has certain contraindications. A significant drawback of this species is its price. It is from 16 thousand rubles per tooth.
findings
Thus, we can draw the following conclusions:
- Zirconia is popular in dentistry because it is a suitable material for all types of teeth, as it is quite durable and resistant to stress. However, the price is rather big, several times more expensive than cermets.
- If you make one front tooth from cermet, then it should be borne in mind that the frame can be translucent and can be very noticeable against the background of natural teeth. Therefore, this method is better to prosthetics several units at once.
- The choice of method and material for prosthetics should be agreed with the dentist. If, for example, the tooth needs to be preserved, it is better to use the option without metal. If the walls of the enamel are greatly thinned, then the use of cermets is more appropriate.
Which is better - cermets or zirconia, you have to decide for yourself.