Porcelain crowns are the most common prosthetic solution in cases of functional or esthetic damage to teeth. Made out of porcelain which successfully imitates the color of your teeth, the crowns protect teeth from any further decay. This prosthetic solution achieves the goal of correcting the color and appearance of teeth in order to give the patient a natural and beautiful smile. Crowns’ shape, size, and color are adjustable, hence their natural appearance, almost identical to patients’ natural teeth.

Porcelain crowns are biocompatible and do not cause any allergic reactions. Good oral hygiene is necessary in order to maintain their longevity.

TYPES OF PORCELAIN CROWNS

Porcelain –fused-to- metal (PFM) crowns

Metal based porcelain crowns (porcelain-fused- to-metal) are the most common solution for defects in shape, color, various cracks or dental imperfections. The base of these crowns is made of entirely biocompatible metal, carrying the elasticity and mechanical characteristics in complete congruence with the dental needs of patients, and a facet made in entirety of porcelain, which creates the illusion of a natural tooth. The main advantage of these crowns is their base, which is metal, and gives them a high level of strength. For this reason this type of crowns are most commonly used to cover pre-molars and molars, i.e. teeth in the region where the pressure of mastication is the greatest.

All-porcelain (ceramic) dental crowns

This type of crowns falls into the group of aesthetic crowns made in entirety of porcelain, which own a high esthetic level, shine and transparency as natural teeth. These crowns also belong to the group of TOP quality crowns that last for years. They are made using various techniques, all depending on the material used. There are two types:

1. Zirconia crowns;
2. E-Max;

These crowns present an ideal solution for patients looking for the perfect smile or those with a narrow inter-dental space. Since they are made solely from porcelain, these crowns are considerably lighter in weight and the material is biocompatible and gentle to surrounding tissues. They have a long lifespan and the only drawback is that they require more care. When put under an inappropriate pressure these crowns may get damaged.

Zirconia crowns

Due to its exceptional strength, resistance to abrasion and breakage, complete indifference to living tissues and biocompatibility, and an exceptional esthetics as well, Zirconium is one of the most used materials in the field of dentistry. This material has the transparency and reflects light in almost the same manner as natural teeth do. Also, its characteristics do not change over time, thus its esthetic proportions are long term indeed. Due to its exceptional mechanical, chemical and esthetic attributes, Zirconium is widely used in esthetic dentistry today. Mechanical resistance is achieved by means of 0.4mm thickness, thus production of this type of crowns requires less scraping of tooth material.

Zirconium has the following three great advantages:

1.Strength – zirconia crowns last longer than any other type of crowns.
2.Esthetics: these crowns have an attractive translucent color and a shine identical to that of natural teeth.
3.Less scraping of natural teeth is necessary in order to make this type of crowns.

E-MAX crowns

This type of crowns fall into the group of metal-free crowns, due to their translucent color, which is the same as in natural teeth, combines with extra strength and longevity. They are made out of one lithium disilicate block, which is a material that resembles natural teeth the most in reference to appearance and mechanical characteristics. Lithium disilicate enables us to produce porcelain crowns and laminates by allowing us to reproduce all anatomical and visual effects of natural teeth, thus making them undistinguishable from natural teeth. Due to their superior esthetics, we usually recommend them for patients’ front teeth. E-MAX crowns are long lasting, strong, and less susceptible to fracturing and chipping. These crowns are also compatible to the surrounding tissues and there is no gray edge visible as in metal-porcelain crowns.

Provided there are one or several teeth missing, esthetic and functional problems appear, such as problems in masticating, misalignment and depression of adjacent teeth and disruption of the entire dental bite. Dental bridges help in avoiding this predicament. They present a group of connected crowns that replace missing teeth and restore the normal function and esthetics of the dental apparatus.

TYPES OF PORCELAIN DENTAL BRIDGES

Porcelain dental bridges with metal bases

Porcelain dental bridges with metal bases are the most common solution for problems with the form and color of teeth, various types of cracks, dental imperfections, and in cases where there is a need for a bridge over a dental gap which exists due to several missing teeth. The basis of this type of bridges is made out of a completely biocompatible metal, carrying the elasticity and mechanical characteristics in complete congruence with the dental needs of patients, and a facet made in entirety of porcelain, which creates the illusion of a natural tooth. The main advantage of these bridges is their base, which is metal, and gives them a high level of strength. For this reason this type of bridges are most commonly used in the lateral region where the pressure of mastication is great.

Zirconia dental bridges

Due to its exceptional strength, resistance to abrasion and breakage, complete indifference to living tissues and biocompatibility, and an exceptional esthetics as well, Zirconium is one of the most used materials in the field of dentistry. This material has the transparency and reflects light in almost the same manner as natural teeth do. Also, its characteristics do not change over time, thus its esthetic proportions are long term indeed. Due to its exceptional mechanical, chemical and esthetic attributes, Zirconium is widely used in esthetic dentistry today. Mechanical resistance is achieved by means of 0.4mm thickness, thus production of this type of crowns requires less scraping of tooth material. Zirconium has the following three great advantages:

1. Strength – zirconia bridges last longer than any other type of bridges.
2. Esthetics: these bridges have an attractive translucent color and a shine identical to that of natural teeth.
3. Less scraping of natural teeth is necessary in order to make this type ofbridges.

Dental care for this type of bridges is the same as for natural teeth.

Porcelain laminates are wafer-thin metal-less ceramic shells that cover only the front, visible surface of teeth, and require a minimal scraping of the tooth surface. They are used for esthetic corrections of teeth, such as changes in appearance, form and color of teeth, diastema closure (gaps in-between teeth) or restoration of chips to teeth.

Porcelain veneers give patients the highest level of esthetics and minimal intervention. The perfect smile is yours after two visits to the office and 2 – 3 extra days necessary for the laminates’ production. Metal-free porcelain laminates have brought dentistry to perfection.

Ultra thin porcelain laminates

This new trend in modern dentistry provides you with the perfect look without any intervention, tooth scaling, painfree and without the use of anesthesia.

These ultrathin porcelain laminates are extremely thin shells with a thickness of 0.2 – 0.3mm used for correction of dental imperfections without loss of natural dental tissue. Only 2 – 3 days are necessary for production, along with only two visits to the office. The goal of the first visit is to draft a therapy plan in accordance to patients’ wishes and take an imprint, after which our lab is able to manufacture the laminates and follow all our patients’ wishes and meet their expectations, yet still maintain the specific appearance of each tooth the laminates are intended for.

Since these laminates are even thinner than the traditional ones, the process of their creation is expensive, using high-end technology, great skills and artiness of the dental technician. Ultra-thin porcelain laminates reach the main goal of dentistry – maintain the natural dental structure.

Dentures are the most common solution for patients who miss all or partially all teeth in the oral cavity. There are two types of dentures:

1. Partial dentures – recommended to patients who have some remaining teeth in certain regions in the mouth;
2. Complete dentures – recommended to patients who have no teeth left.

1. Partial dentures

Partial dentures present removable prostheses that fill the gaps of missing teeth in cases when bridges or implants are not an option. This type of dentures are an option for patients who have teeth in certain regions and they can be:

Traditional acrylic dentures

Acrylic dentures are made of acrylate in entirety, which can be hard or flexible, or they can be made of their combination.

Wisil metal frame dentures

The frame of these dentures is made out of a special biocompatible metal, which makes the dentures thinner, easier to wear, delicate, but stronger and longer lasting. Wisil metal frame dentures are thin, elegant, and patients take little notice of their presence. They are attached to the natural teeth with hooks or, when part of more complex prosthesis (including porcelain bridges or crowns), special attachments invisible to the human eye, which allow for a good fit and excellent function of the dentures.

Wisil composite frames dentures

This type of dentures is the most sophisticated kind in the field of partial dentures. The frame is made out of composite; they are light, thin, flexible and easily adaptable to the oral cavity. The color of the attachment hooks is almost identical to the color of natural teeth, thus they are hardly visible. Composite frame partial dentures are carved by special CAD-CAM computerized machines, or lately, by 3D printers. Provided they are made with hooks, their appearance is hardly visible, since the color of hooks is the same as the color of the natural teeth of the patient. They can also be impacted by attachments that are a part of larger prosthetic constructions.

2. Complete dentures

Partial dentures present removable prostheses that fill the gaps of missing teeth in cases when bridges or implants are not an option. They are made of acrylate in entirety, which can be hard or flexible, or they can be made of their combination. Good quality complete dentures can fully restore dental function of the oral cavity as well as the esthetics and living comfort of patients.

CARE

This type of dentures requires daily care. Patients need to remove them, brush them with special denture brushes, wash them carefully, and then reposition them in the mouth. If there are any deposits visible, patients need to visit the office and we will take special care for the denture, as well as examine the oral cavity in order to ensure patients that their dentures will last a long time.