Types of Crowns for the Front Teeth vs Molars
By Joe McIntyre, DDS on October 02, 2021
Decay, cracks, chips, and missing teeth can happen to anyone. Fortunately, dental crowns are a tried and true method to repair your smile. But how exactly do crowns work to strengthen your teeth and give your teeth a natural-looking appearance? Do crowns for the front teeth versus molars differ from one another? How do you know which crown materials are right for you?
Smiles for Life Dental Care, with offices serving the Harrisonburg, Staunton, Bridgewater, VA, area, offers same-day dental crown construction using CEREC® technology. Crowns are made from impressions in conjunction with digital software. Digital impressions are sent to a machine where the ceramic restorations are completed, ensuring a fully customized fit.
3 Types of Crowns for Front Teeth vs Molars
The material for your crown depends greatly on where the affected tooth is located. For front teeth, there’s obviously more of an aesthetic concern—you don’t want anyone to be able to tell you have a crown. However, molars need to stand up to the force of chewing.
Here are the most common types of crown material and what they are used for.
- Porcelain Crowns. Porcelain crowns offer the most natural look for patients.
- Metal Crowns. Metal crowns are typical for adult molars and for children who need to protect their baby teeth.
- Porcelain-Fused-to-Metal Crowns. This type of crown can offer the benefits of both metal and porcelain crowns.
If you’re still not sure how you feel about dental crowns or are worried about what your results might look like, peruse our before & after photo gallery. You’ll view our work from our previous patients.
Porcelain Crowns
This is by far the ideal material for front teeth crowns because they look and feel so natural. Porcelain and ceramic materials are semi-translucent, just like your tooth’s enamel. These materials can be shaded virtually any color to match the rest of your teeth.
The downside is that porcelain crowns are not as strong as metal and can break more easily. They can sometimes wear down the teeth beside them more quickly through natural friction.
Metal Crowns
Metal crowns are ideal for stabilizing a dental bridge or for strengthening teeth with large areas of decay. Generally, metal crowns are used for the back teeth because the metal alloys can easily stand up to chewing pressure.
Metal crowns can also be made from gold, silver, or stainless steel metals. In some cases, patients like the aesthetic look of a precious metal material and choose to have them for their front teeth.
Porcelain-Fused-to-Metal Crowns
This type of crown is comprised of a metal interior and a porcelain exterior. This gives them the strength to be placed anywhere in the mouth and with a look that can stand up to scrutiny.
The only real downside is that the base of the crown is metal. This isn’t a problem normally, but if the gums recede later in life, the patient may have a visible dark line beneath the restoration.
Book an Appointment Today
A complete smile restores confidence, improves your overall health, and makes the world see you as you truly are. If you’re ready to stop feeling held back by your oral health, call Smiles For Life Dental Care today at (540) 887-3304 or send us a message online.
