Dental crowns have been a very popular treatment for a long time, but over the years they’ve changed considerably. By far, the most significant shift has been in the materials that they’re made of. For a long time, dental crowns were made of metal—however, in modern dentistry, they’re typically made of some kind of ceramic.
If you have a metal dental crown, it may be worth taking the time to upgrade it into a more modern version. Here are a few reasons why that’s the case.
1. Ceramic Dental Crowns Are Much Less Noticeable
Metal dental crowns do the job of covering your tooth, but people would rarely get them for aesthetic reasons. Even golden dental crowns look a little bit garish and can be pretty obvious whenever you smile.
Ceramic dental crowns are made of tooth-colored materials, meaning that they’ll blend in perfectly with the rest of your smile. As a result, most people won’t be able to tell that you’ve even had any work done in the first place.
2. Metal Dental Crowns Make Your Teeth Sensitive
One of the main things that drives people to the dentist’s office to deal with a cavity is the sensitivity associated with tooth decay. However, if you have a metal dental crown, you may still feel a little twinge when drinking something hot or cold.
That’s because metal expands and contracts when exposed to extreme temperatures. As you can imagine, this can cause a little bit of discomfort when it happens to your dental crown. Thankfully, ceramic dental crowns aren’t responsive to temperature, meaning that if you upgrade you won’t have this problem.
3. Metal Dental Crowns Can Make You Look Older
As was referenced earlier, metal dental crowns aren’t used very often in contemporary dentistry. If you have a metal dental crown, that’s a surefire sign that you got your dental crowns a long time ago.
In that way, a metal crown may make you look a little bit older—or maybe old-fashioned. If you switch to a ceramic crown, you won’t have this issue anymore.
About the Author
Dr. Jennifer Pham has been a dentist for over a decade, and the thing that keeps her interested in this field is being able to blend art and science to make a genuine difference in people’s lives. Dr. Pham received her dental degree from the Temple University School of Dentistry, and continues her dental education with both the American Dental Association and the Seattle Study Club.
If you have any questions about dental crowns, she can be reached at her website or by phone at (703) 666-3867.