Why Glendale, CA patients love ceramic crowns

Dental crowns have played an integral role in dentistry for a long time. However, materials and technologies continue to evolve. Dr. Carlos Garcia offers CEREC ceramic crowns, and patients in the Glendale, CA area are thrilled.

PFM vs. all-ceramic

Porcelain-fused-to-metal, or PFM, crowns have a metal shell that fits over the prepared tooth. Porcelain, a type of ceramic, is fused to this substructure for a more natural appearance. PFMs are made in a dental laboratory.

CEREC is a system that captures a detailed, 3-D digital impression, used to create a precise crown design. Then, the crown is milled from a solid chunk of ceramic, at Dr. Garcia’s office, while you wait.

The beauty of ceramic crowns

Light hits a natural tooth and is reflected back by the lustrous external layer of tooth enamel. The better an aesthetic crown mimics this characteristic, the more life-like it looks. The metal core of a PFM crown is dark, so the thin layer of porcelain used to mask it must be chalky-white. Because of the thickness of ceramic material in an all-ceramic crown, the color, translucency, and light reflecting properties match natural enamel much more closely. Plus, there is no dark line at the gum, as you may have with a PFM.

Additional benefits of CEREC crowns 

• Biocompatible – CEREC crowns contain no metal, so there is no risk of metal reactivity and allergy is not an issue.
• Gentle to opposing teeth – Because ceramic is similar in hardness to tooth enamel, it does not cause unusual wear.
• Strong and durable – With good oral hygiene, a CEREC crown lasts many years.
• Single visit – Your tooth repair is completed in one appointment, without the need to wear a temporary restoration.

To learn more about ceramic crowns, schedule a visit to Bright Smiles Dental Studio in Glendale, CA –818-290-8788.