Is A Porcelain Crown Worth The Higher Price?
When you need to have a crown applied to a damaged or decayed tooth, your dentist will often give you two options. Metal amalgam crowns are generally the cheapest. They have a long history of being safe and successful. Porcelain crowns come at a higher cost, which often leads patients to ask: is a porcelain crown worth it? Sometimes the answer is "yes," and other times, the answer is "no." Here are some pros and cons of porcelain crowns to consider in order to decide whether the higher cost is worth it to you.
Pro: The crown will be tooth-colored.
This isn't such a big deal when the crown is placed over one of your back molars, since people do not see those molars as often. But if you're having an incisor, canine, or premolar covered with a crown, you'd probably prefer that crown to be the color of your tooth. Your dentist can tint the porcelain in your crown so that it's the exact same color as the neighboring teeth. This can't be done with metal; it will just be metal-colored.
Con: Porcelain is more likely to chip.
Porcelain crowns are definitely strong, but they are more likely to chip than metal crowns. So, when you have a porcelain crown, it is even more important than usual to avoid really crunchy foods. If you're really worried about cracking a crown on something hard, porcelain may not be the crown material for you.
Pro: Porcelain crowns are safe for allergy sufferers.
It's rare, but some people do have allergies or sensitivities to some of the components of metal crowns. If you are someone who has a lot of allergies or has a family history of these allergies, then you may want to opt for a porcelain crown because this won't be an issue. Porcelain is entirely biocompatible and won't trigger allergies in anyone.
Con: Porcelain can come with more tooth sensitivity.
Porcelain crowns are a little thicker than metal ones, which means more tooth material has to be removed when a porcelain crown is chosen. This can leave your tooth more sensitive than it would be with a metal crown. However, this sensitivity does tend to wane after a few months, at most.
If you think a porcelain crown will be worth the extra cost, then go for it! Otherwise, a metal crown can be a very effective, more affordable choice. For more information, contact a company like Dr Taylors Family Dental Center.
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