The Advantages of Ceramics Over Metals

Dental ceramics have been around since the late 1880s, when the grandfather of famous aviator Charles Lindbergh, Charles Land, created and then patented the first all ceramic "jacket" crown, reducing the amount of tooth structure that needed to be sacrificed for a full tooth restoration. Since that time, ceramics have played an integral part in all aspects of dentistry, from braces to cosmetic dentistry, as well as standard restorations, and in many ways are superior to metal.
  1. Less Reduction of Natural Tooth Structure

    • A conventional ceramic restoration has the advantage of needing the least amount of tooth reduction to accommodate it. Though there are many types of ceramic dental appliances, many of them have metal as a base under the ceramic or porcelain. As a result, when the tooth is reduced; it must be further reduced to accommodate the extra layer of metal, where a direct ceramic crown needs only minimal reduction to achieve the same result. This is better for the tooth, as the more reduction done, the closer it gets to the nerve of the tooth, which can become irritated as a result.

    Natural Appearance

    • Teeth should look natural for a lifetime. Some people like the look of a silver or a gold tooth in their smile, but the majority prefer the restorations, especially on front teeth, to look as natural as possible. Ceramic jacket crowns are the best as far as looking natural. There is no metal infrastructure to make the incisal third of the tooth opaque. It is the opacity of a crown that denotes it as being a crown. With a ceramic jacket crown, the incisal third of the tooth has much of the same translucency as a natural tooth.

    Laminate Veneers

    • Ceramic veneers are a recent innovation that have hit cosmetic dentistry hard. Veneers, or laminates as they are also called, require a small amount of preparation on the tooth facing, and then they are bonded to the fronts of the teeth much as a fake fingernail is placed on a finger. Veneers have a definite advantage over metal-based restorations, including braces, as they can make a crooked tooth appear straight without the need to wear braces. Many celebrities, and other people, bypass years in braces by having ceramic veneers placed on nearly every tooth.

    Ceramic Braces

    • Ceramic braces are an advantage over the classic metal brackets and bands. With ceramic bracketing secured with clear elastics, the braces are only visible at close range. Ceramic braces can take a bit longer to move the teeth, but for the benefit of hardly being visible, many people choose ceramic over metal.

    Thermal Changes

    • Ceramic restorations do not conduct heat and cold the same way that a metal restoration does, giving them an advantage because they don't upset the nerve of the tooth the way an amalgam or metal restoration can. Thermal changes, especially on a large or deep restoration, can cause what is called a "pulpitis," inflammation of dental pulp. Sometimes the nerve will recover over time; other times it gets worse, leading to a root canal or, worse yet, loss of the tooth. The risk of pulpitis is much lower with ceramic restorations than it is with metal restorations.

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