Gold crowns
A lot of people think that gold crowns are a thing of the past, but in fact they are still relevant, very useful and often used for back teeth. Gold is actually too soft to use in its pure form. That's why gold alloy, that is, gold mixed with other metals such as silver, palladium, platinum and the like, is usually used. And when they are combined together, they become strong and suitable for placement on the back of teeth where there is a constant high chewing load. Gold combines well with tissue and is resistant to corrosion and oxidation. So, some of the advantages of gold are that it's very strong, even when it's thin, which is good because if you're developing a dental crown, you don't have to remove too much tooth structure to put a gold crown on it. It's also very gentle on the neighboring teeth, because it won't wear down the tooth that's under pressure too much. One last point, which is rather scientific, but it has a coefficient of thermal expansion similar to the coefficient of thermal expansion of your tooth. Let's see, if you drink iced coffee or a hot drink, your teeth will contract and expand at the lowest rate, very similar to the rate of expansion of your tooth. This means that a gold crown has a better chance of having strong well sealed edges for life.
Some of the negatives of gold dental crowns.
- It can be very pricey. Gold right now is increasing in value and it's becoming more and more expensive to use gold. And as the price of gold increases, your gold crown will increase as well.
- Gold conducts heat and cold rather easily.
- Color. Not a lot of patients want gold in their mouths. They would rather prefer an all-white crown and that's the number one reason that I've seen why people don't choose gold crowns.
Make an appointment with a dentist
Porcelain fused to metal crowns
In the past it was one of the most commonly used materials. Until the advent of zirconium dioxide and E-Max, which are increasingly used in dentistry. In this type of crown, natural white porcelain is placed over metal and placed in the mouth. Basically, this means that if you look at the bottom of the crown, you will see the metal base, and then you will see white porcelain on top of the crown, which mimics the color of your natural teeth. Some of the advantages of using porcelain is that porcelain is white. Therefore, it is much more aesthetically pleasing than a gold crown. Porcelain looks like your natural tooth, which looks very beautiful. And the last advantage is strength and durability, which is very good for back teeth.
Minuses of metal-coated porcelain crowns
- The dark metal that we talked about is at the base of the crown. Sometimes you may see a metal edge if you have gum recession, and that metal will show through, and people may not like seeing that metal line along the gum line.
- If the porcelain is broken, the tooth remains protected, but the metal base of the crown may become visible. Also, some patients don't want the presence of metal in their body.
- It doesn't have very good translucency, so there can be problems with the color of the tooth
Zirconia dental crowns
Zirconia is a white crystalline oxide made of zirconium metal. It looks white all over the tooth. Both inside and outside, and it is really aesthetically pleasing and very durable. The advantages of zirconia is that it's incredibly strong, which means it's less likely to break than other crowns, and it doesn't have a dark metal base. Therefore, it's completely white throughout the tooth. So even if you have recession, you won't see that dark line that we talked about earlier. The dentist can easily secure the crown. And this material can be cheaper than gold. The main disadvantage of zirconia is that the crown is so strong that it can damage the tooth itself. So you have to make sure that your occlusion or bite is perfectly adjusted so that you don't injure your tooth.
Zirconia is a little harder to adjust for the dentist. Zirconia is harder to cut, but it must be adjusted perfectly. Generally, if your bite is off, you are bound to feel soreness along the way. So this is definitely a disadvantage to consider. And as a side note, zirconia does have translucent properties, and it can look very beautiful.
Choose a clinic for dental crowns
Emax dental crowns
Emax crowns are the most aesthetically pleasing crowns on the market, and they can really do a good job of creating vital restorations that look just like your natural teeth. Emax is an all-ceramic system that uses lithium disilicate glass to make a beautiful crown. The advantages of Emax are that they can be bonded to your teeth, allowing the dentist to do a more conservative preparation, or allowing the dentist to work on teeth of concern. They may not have the best prognosis, and bonding to the tooth may make it a little stronger. All-ceramic, so no metal is visible. Such a crown has excellent translucency and light-reflective properties. Finally, this is simply the best option, and usually this option is recommended for front teeth because it looks great.
Negatives of Emax crowns
- Very high price.
- It's not good for dark teeth, or people who have tetracycline staining or really dark teeth. Because of the translucency of Emax, sometimes the restored tooth will show through. If you don't have the appropriate thickness of Emax, and if you're doing a full-coverage Emax crown, the dentist must perform an aggressive preparation. In order to have the minimum thickness of the crown material to make it strong and durable. Zirconia and gold do not need such aggressive preparation in order to make quality crowns. So this is something you need to consider.
The average cost of a dental crown in 2022 in USA is about $1,000 per crown.
Why a $1,000 is a good average per crown cost?
The range of prices for dental crowns is quite big. The price of a crown can start around $300 on the low end and be as high as $3,000.
Why such a big range?
A major factor has to deal with where the tooth is located, how big it is, the condition of the tooth and the type of material used for the crown. Where you live and the experience level of your dentist, also affects what you will end up paying.
How much does a porcelain crown cost?
Porcelain crowns are generally more expensive than most other types of crowns. Cost for them will range from about $800 to $3,000.
How much do metal crowns cost?
Metal crowns are generally in the middle of the price range with cost starting around $700 and going up to $2,500.
How much do porcelain fused to metal crowns cost?
Can't decide between porcelain and metal? Do both! The average cost of these crowns ranges from $500 to $1,500. If you have dental insurance, chances are it will cover some of the cost of the crown. It depends on what you need the crown for and how persistent you will be in getting it.
Crown type | Price, euro |
Classic metal-ceramic crown, materials Germany-Japan, per one crown | 70 |
Metal-ceramic crown of high aesthetics, materials Japan, for 1 crown | 75 |
Crown, cast of cobalt-chrome alloy, Germany, per 1 crown | 40 |
Metal-free zirconium oxide ceramic crown for chewing teeth, per one crown | 150 |
Zirconium oxide metal-free ceramic crown with ceramic layering, per 1 crown | 175 |
Ceramic crown, porcelain veneer or protective cover using E.Max technology, EU materials, one piece | 175 |
Metal inlay for restoring the shape of a destroyed tooth before prosthetics (without an impression), for 1 inlay | 35 |
MZP-coated pressed crown, 1 crown | 22 |
Facet in a bridge structure, 1 crown | 22 |
Cast tooth in a bridge structure, 1 crown | 22 |
Semi-permanent plastic crown, 1 crown | 25 |
Temporary plastic crown (only when fabricating ceramics with us), 1 crown | 13 |
MEDICAL DISCLAIMERThis content is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to provide medical advice or to be a substitute for such advice or treatment by a personal physician. All readers of this material are advised to consult their own physicians or qualified health care professionals. UAmedTOURS is not responsible for the possible health consequences to any person or persons reading or following the information contained in this educational content. All readers of this content, especially those who take prescription or over-the-counter medications, should consult their physicians before making any changes in their diet, lifestyle, taking pills, or other facts that may affect your physical and psychological health.