Dental Crowns have certainly come a long way since Charles Land developed the porcelain jacket crown. Although the porcelain jacket crown was patented in 1889, it was not made available to patients until 1903.  

The original jacket crowns covered the tooth by, “Jacketing,” it with a porcelain material, and although they were quite popular, there were some issues including micro cracking. These stability issues were not addressed until the late 50s and early 60s when Abraham Weistein invented a stronger structure that attached metal implants to porcelain crowns.  

According to Web MD, Dental Crowns are used to restore a worn down or broken tooth and can be used to hold a cracked tooth together. If you have a severely decayed tooth, your dentist may recommend a Dental Crown to support the tooth, especially if a large filling is required and you do not have much of the natural tooth left. Dental Crowns can also be used to cover Dental Implants, hold a bridge in its place or to make dental cosmetic restoration modifications.  

Dental Crowns can be manufactured out of several materials including metal alloy, gold, resin, ceramic, porcelain or porcelain fused to metal.  

Metal Dental crowns can be made from base metal alloys such as chromium or nickel, or other alloys such as palladium or gold. Compared with other types of Dental Crowns, Metal Dental Crowns do not require as much tooth structure removal. Metal Dental Crowns rarely break or chip and can withstand tremendous force from chewing and biting. The only drawback is the color. 

Porcelain Fused to Metal Dental Crowns are matched to your natural adjacent tooth color, but will wear more easily. This type of Dental Crown can also break or chip. Porcelain fused to metal crowns look almost like natural teeth with the exception of the metal that can sometimes show underneath the porcelain, especially if you are dealing with gum recession. 

All resin Dental Crowns are more cost effective than other types of Dental Crowns but will eventually wear down and are more apt to break or chip. Resin crowns can be made to match your natural tooth color.  

All porcelain or all ceramic Dental Crowns provide the most natural looking dental restoration and are more suitable for patients who suffer from metal allergies. All porcelain or all ceramic crowns are not as strong as porcelain fused to metal Dental Crowns, but can be matched to your natural tooth color and are best for front teeth.   

If you would like more information regarding Dental Crowns, schedule an appointment with your dentist, Dr. Michael Weiss, today.