How Natural Will an Implant Crown Look?

Severe damage, tooth decay, gum disease, or wanting to enhance one's look are reasons why someone may need an implant crown. Read on to learn about this dental restoration. Although gold and metal crowns are a considerably stronger option, many individuals choose porcelain crowns because they look more natural. This option is widely utilized for front teeth since it appears practically indistinguishable from natural teeth.

How natural-looking is an implant crown?

When it comes to natural-looking implant crowns, patients have a few options. Fully ceramic crowns and porcelain-fused-to-metal crowns are the two major options. Below is a deeper look at the advantages and disadvantages of each.

Fully ceramic crowns

All-ceramic crowns are translucent and closely mimic natural teeth, making them a great choice for people who want the most natural appearance possible. These crowns may last up to 15 years with proper maintenance. As the name implies, this crown is fabricated from ceramic glass and contains no metal; nevertheless, certain variants are fortified with zirconium. The most significant downside of ceramic restorations is their low durability. These crowns may break from habits like eating ice, teeth grinding, or biting nails. The ceramic is also abrasive on the teeth around it.

Porcelain-fused-to-metal crowns

This crown consists of a metal framework with porcelain fused to the exterior. This type of prosthesis is more durable than ceramic alone, and it is often used to replace teeth that have to withstand the force of biting and chewing. While these crowns resemble real teeth in appearance, all-ceramic generally crowns office a great fit.

The underlying metal may occasionally be seen through the ceramic when placed on the front teeth. This style of the crown may induce a reaction in persons who are allergic to metal.

Fabricating natural-looking crowns

A natural-looking implant crown is usually produced in a dental lab and may take two weeks to complete. The dentist will use a mold to take many impressions of the patient's teeth to create crowns that blend in with the rest of the teeth. Some dental offices have dental 3D printing facilities to construct a crown model.

After that, the crown is produced using the selected material, guided by the dental impressions. The crown will be color-matched to the rest of the patient's teeth, and it may even be hand-finished for a more natural look. Porcelain crowns are generally resistant to staining and chemicals once completed and cannot be whitened.

In conclusion

When a patient needs an implant crown to complete the tooth restoration process, porcelain may be utilized to make them seem as natural as possible. Dental lab technicians take many steps to make these attachments seem indistinguishable from regular teeth, from color matching to hand-finishing the prosthesis.

Since there are many options, patients should speak with a dentist about the advantages and disadvantages of all-ceramic crowns, porcelain-fused-to-metal crowns, and metal crowns. In the end, the decision will be based on the location of the crown and the patient's preferences.

Request an appointment here: https://hemetdentalcenter.com or call Hemet Dental Center: Brian Stiewel DDS, INC. at (951) 707-4366 for an appointment in our Hemet office.

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