A lost tooth can often feel like more than just a physical gap but can diminish your confidence, impact how you eat, and even change your appearance. At Aesthetic Airways we understand that replacing a missing tooth is not only a matter of function, but it is also about recapturing your smile, your confidence and your lifestyle, which is why dental implants, especially the implant crown that crowns your restoration, are the highest choice for aesthetics and durability.
In this article, we will explain the different types of dental implant crowns, materials, retention, and factors to consider. You will have a clear and informed choice suitable to you.
Understanding the Dental Implant Crown System
Before selecting the appropriate dental implant crown, it is important to understand how it all works together. A dental implant is not a single unit, but rather a three-part system that replaces your tooth from the root up, achieving stability and a natural-looking result for many years.
The Triad: The Three Core Components
- Implant Post (Fixture): A titanium or zirconia screw that is placed in the jawbone through surgery and acts as the root of the artificial tooth, serving as a foundational support.
- Abutment: A small connector that connects to the implant post above the gum line and acts as the connection between the implant and the crown.
- Crown: A custom artificial tooth made to match the color, shape, and size of the natural teeth, attached to the abutment.
Role of the Crown:
The crown is the visible part of the implant system that is functional. This device restores your function to chew comfortably, restores clarity of speech, and gives you the full ability to smile with confidence. The crown will function and look like your surrounding teeth.
Types of Dental Implant Crowns Based on Material
Finding an appropriate crown material is a critical decision in achieving a balance of strength, aesthetics, and longevity. Each crown material offers its own strengths and weaknesses and it is important to make a crown selection that corresponds with your functional requirements, budget, and smile aspirations.
Porcelain Crowns (All-Ceramic / All-Porcelain)
A porcelain crown is a complete crown made of high-quality ceramic materials, such as lithium disilicate. Porcelain crowns can look very lifelike, which is why they are the top choice for visible teeth restorations.
- Pros: Best aesthetics, excellent translucency, biocompatible, good for front teeth.
- Cons: Brittle than other options, prone to chipping
Zirconia Crowns
Zirconia crowns are composed of some of the most durable dental ceramics available, providing outstanding strength and good aesthetics. They can be used on front teeth or back molars that require more bite force.
- Pros: Good strength, highly chip-resistant, aesthetics with color matching, good biocompatibility, more versatile on all areas of the mouth.
- Cons: Zirconia can be more opaque than porcelain (even though some translucent zirconia exist), may cause wear on opposing teeth if not polished.
Porcelain-Fused-to-Metal (PFM) Crowns
PFM crowns have a metal inner base to add strength to porcelain outside, which has been the long-standing option for a good balance of both durability and aesthetics.
- Pros: One of the best solutions for strength from metal, beauty from outer porcelain. If taken care of, it could last a long time.
- Cons: could develop dark line with the gum at some point, outer porcelain could chip, doesn’t have the same translucency as a full porcelain crown.
Metal Crowns (e.g., Gold Alloys)
Metal crowns are made entirely out of dental alloys such as gold or palladium. They are not very aesthetic, but they are very strong and long-lasting.
- Advantages: Extremely strong and wear/ fracture resistant with very little reduction.
- Disadvantages: Metal is not aesthetic, conducts temperature, and not appropriate for visible teeth.
Hybrid / Composite Crowns
Hybrid crowns combine different materials for example, resin with zirconia or porcelain, to provide a lower-cost alternative to specific needs or in more temporary situations.
- Pros: Affordable, can be color-matched, adaptable for different cases.
- Cons: Less durability, wear and stains are more common, and often used as a temporary or low-cost option.
Types of Dental Implant Crowns Based on Retention Method
The approach to attachment of the dental implant crown to the supporting implant is a crucial consideration that may influence maintenance, aesthetics, and durability. And, there are two major retention methods, screw-retained and cement-retained, with their associated advantages and disadvantages, choosing the best option for your unique clinical situation and personal preferences is important.
Screw-Retained Implant Crowns
In this Designtm method, a crown is affixed to the implant or abutment using a small screw that passes through the crown. The screw access hole is usually filled with tooth colored composite to blend with the surrounding tooth.
- Advantages: Removable for cleaning or repair, no complication of cement, can be useful if there is little space between upper and lower teeth.
- Disadvantages: A screw access hole may be somewhat visible, possibility of porcelain chipping around access hole, very small chance of screw loosening over time.
Cement-Retained Implant Crowns
In this case, the crown is cemented to an independent abutment before being attached to the dental implant post. This arrangement closely parallels conventional crowns secured to natural dentition.
- Advantages: The aesthetics are superior to that of a screw-retained crown (i.e. no visible screw access holes), much better esthetic natural tooth appearance, generally stronger, more stable attachment.
- Disadvantages: more difficult to remove the crown without likely damaging it; increased risk of any excess cement may cause inflammation of the gums not 100% isolated against it.
How to Choose the Right Implant Crown Type
Choosing the right crown for your dental implant is not just about selecting the strongest or prettiest crown; it is about finding the right mixture of aesthetics, function and long-term oral health. There are several things to consider when choosing a crown, and collaborating closely with your dentist will ensure that you get an implant restoration that meets your unique needs.
Location in the Mouth
The location of your implant is a significant factor in the crown material selection process, as follows:
- HUMAN (BLOCKED BY TEETH) FRONT TOOTH: All-porcelain or zirconia crowns are aesthetically pleasing relative to their translucency and can have a very natural appearance.
- HUMAN (BLOCKED BY TEETH) BACK TOOTH: Zirconia, porcelain-fused-to-metal (PFM), or full metal crowns are durable and wear well under chewing forces.
Aesthetics vs. Durability
If your number one priority is a seamless, natural smile, porcelain may be your best option. However, if longevity and wear resistance are more important—especially with molars, zirconia or metal-based crowns may work better.
Budget Considerations
The cost of crown materials will vary with all-ceramic and zirconia generally costing more than PFM or metal crowns. You should choose a material based on your dental aspirations and planned financial commitment.
Oral Habits
If you are grinding or clenching your teeth (bruxism), then you should ideally use more durable materials such as zirconia, which are designed to handle these forces and allow for less chance of fracture.
Dentist’s Recommendation
It is vital that an experienced implant dentist performs a thorough evaluation. Your dentist will check your bite, health of your gums, condition of the jawbone, esthetic preference, etc. before providing you with their best recommendation (material and retention).
Dental implant crowns are available in many options including: porcelain, zirconia, screw-retained, or cement-retained. Each has its own advantages and drawbacks, therefore the best solution is ALWAYS custom. At Aesthetic Airways, our team's expertise and technology combine to ensure that we begin the process of choosing the crown that best fits your smile, lifestyle, and budget. Book your consultation with us, and take the first step toward a beautiful and lasting smile.