Deciding on fixed restorations is a huge step towards fully restoring your smile. If you’ve chosen a Zirconia option, then that means you have a wide variety of restoration techniques and materials to pick from. But where do you start? Handpicking the right zirconia restoration can be demanding, especially if you don’t know your options. As zirconia restoration options continue to develop and change, we’re here to provide a basic catch-up for the best restoration options for zirconia dentures, implants, and crowns.
Types of Zirconia Options For Restorations
Designing and making beautiful, life-like restorations often comes with numerous options to choose from. Zirconia options have set a standard for many, as its strength, durability, and fitting have marketed it above porcelain and ceramics. This dioxide comes from the metallic element Zirconium, a member of the titanium family known for its high strength and retention against damage. Designing zirconia restorations use computer-aided milling to take the raw materials and then shape them into the restoration of your choice. Because of its material, it also provides an exceedingly pleasing aesthetic that’s long-lasting and worthwhile.
However, as dentistry continues to advance, many manufacturing companies that produce these raw materials ascribe different properties to their products, leading to variances in size, composition, and porosity, often dictating the final product. As a patient, your options will vary according to your dentist’s options in creating the restoration, which will determine the costs and longevity of your restoration overall. In general, zirconia options range within these categories:
- Solid Zirconia Restorations: Solid zirconia restorations are tough, often capable of withstanding chewing forces better, presenting a better option for those who suffer from bruxism. Solid zirconia restorations can also treat teeth previously affected by root canals, offering stronger support for the tooth that’s capable of maintaining support for adjacent teeth and teeth commonly affected by cavities and gum disease. Overall, these restorations are more suited for the posterior or back teeth due to their opaqueness.
- Translucent Zirconia Restorations: Translucent zirconia restorations offer a more aesthetically pleasing restoration that’s combined with strength and durability. Because its strength is higher than porcelain-fused-metal crowns, it’s capable of handling tough wear while maintaining its appearance. However, those requiring orthodontic treatment may not be suited for this type of restoration due to its inability to correct alignment.
Overall, the average lifetime for zirconia restorations ranges between 5 to 15 years, and with proper hygiene, it can last up to 10 years or more. The design process of developing restorations from monolithic zirconia blocks often presents some fascinating elements in its construction and design.
How To Get Zirconia Restorations
It’s important to have the help of your dentist to restore your mouth to health fully. Zirconia restorations can restore your teeth to health, but the only way to truly understand your options is to see your general or cosmetic dentist for treatment. When you schedule an appointment with your dentist, your dentist will be able to discuss your options more thoroughly and give you a full idea of how they can provide you with restorations.
