The Disadvantages of Porcelain Crowns

Teeth become weak or worn from age or neglect. When this happens your dentist can fit a crown, which will protect the tooth against future damage for up to 20 years. There are three options: gold crowns, porcelain fused to metal crowns and porcelain crowns. Porcelain is one of the oldest materials used in the dental field as it has many advantages such as the perfect shade reproduction and a good resistance to abrasion and chemicals. Porcelain is increasingly used for procedures such as constructing entire teeth, full crowns and inlays.

• Because porcelain is not as strong as its counterparts are, it needs to be thicker to withstand the amount of chewing it will go through. Therefore, your dentist will need to remove more of your own tooth to be able to fit the porcelain crown.

• Porcelain crowns are not as robust as the metal or metal fusion crowns and, as a result, have a higher incidence of brittle fracture where minute cracks form on the outer surface of the crown. According to the Crown and Bridge Department, Faculty of Oral and Dental Medicine at Cairo University, porcelain has a low thermal conductivity and these cracks form as it cools. The incidence of chipping your crown is also higher with porcelain.

• It is more difficult to get an exact fit where the tooth meets the gum -- so fitting a porcelain crown requires a higher level of skill from your dentist. Make sure your dentist has experience in using the processing technique.

• Cosmetic Dentistry states that "Gingival inflammation appears to be more common with porcelain crowns than gold crowns." Contact your dentist if any bleeding of the gums occur -- or if your gums become tender, swollen, shiny or develop a bright red or purple appearance.

• The cost of porcelain crowns can be prohibitive. As of July 2010, the average price of a crown was $945 USD, enough to negate the esthetic advantages for some people.