Everything You Need to Know About Zirconia Dental Crowns
Many patients who visit dental clinics with tooth pain often require crowns to restore damaged teeth after the primary treatment. When it comes to choosing the material, many are unaware of what to expect during the fitting and subsequent use. Previously, we discussed the different types of crowns and their main differences. This time, we will focus in detail on zirconia crowns — what they are, how they are manufactured, fitted, repaired, and other key considerations.
Table of Contents
- How Zirconia Crowns Are Made
- Manufacturing Options
- Shades of Zirconia Crowns - How Zirconia Crowns Are Fitted
- Removing a Zirconia Crown
- Repairing a Chipped Zirconia Crown
- How to Identify Zirconia Crowns
- How Much Zirconia Crowns Cost
- How to Care for Zirconia Crowns
- Safety of Zirconia
- Lifespan of Zirconia Crowns
How Zirconia Crowns Are Made
Zirconia crowns are manufactured using zirconium dioxide, a material known for its exceptional strength and wear resistance, making it a popular choice among patients.
Fitting a crown requires tooth preparation: removing the necessary amount of tooth structure according to protocol, followed by either intraoral scanning or taking impressions.
These records are then sent to a dental laboratory, where a dental technician uses 3D modelling software to design the future zirconia crown. The digital model is then transferred to a milling machine that carves the crown from a pre-formed zirconia block.
For dental use, zirconium dioxide is produced in blocks that have a chalk-like consistency. It is from these blocks that crowns or frameworks are milled.
Since the pre-sintered zirconia is relatively fragile, once milled, the crown is carefully finished by the technician and then fired in a high-temperature furnace where sintering occurs, resulting in a hardened, durable crown. Final adjustments are made manually to ensure a perfect fit and patient comfort.
Manufacturing Options
1) Monolithic Zirconia Crown. A crown made entirely of zirconia, without any ceramic layering. It offers maximum strength and longevity but may be slightly less aesthetic compared to layered ceramic crowns. These crowns are colour-matched to adjacent teeth.
2) Zirconia Framework with Ceramic Overlay. A crown consisting of a strong zirconia base covered with aesthetic ceramic. This option provides superior appearance but is more expensive.
The decision on the type of crown should be based on your dentist’s clinical assessment rather than purely on personal preference, ensuring both functionality and cost-effectiveness.
Shades of Zirconia Crowns
Each zirconia block manufacturer provides a catalogue of available shades, allowing precise matching to the patient’s natural teeth. Custom shades can also be created upon request.
The production of a zirconia crown typically takes between 3 and 7 days.
How Zirconia Crowns Are Fitted
The cementation process for zirconia crowns is similar to that of metal-ceramic crowns.
The crown fitting is carried out under local anaesthetic if required, and the tooth may be isolated with a rubber dam.
After that, it is thoroughly cleaned and degreased, and the crown is disinfected. Depending on the situation, the doctor chooses cement for fixing the crown, and if necessary, lights it up to harden it.
The prepared tooth is meticulously cleaned and dried, while the crown is disinfected. Depending on the clinical case, the dentist selects an appropriate adhesive cement, and where necessary, the cement is light-cured for additional strength.
On average, fitting a zirconia crown takes between 10 and 30 minutes.
A significant advantage of zirconia prosthetics is that multiple crowns (two, three, or four units) can be cemented simultaneously, saving time and reducing trauma.
Important!
If you require a long-span dental bridge (5–6 units), it is advisable to opt for a metal-ceramic solution, based on titanium or cobalt-chromium alloy, as zirconia bridges may not reliably withstand such loading without additional support. Titanium-reinforced frameworks are recommended in these cases.
However, zirconia crowns are an excellent choice for restoring single implants, offering outstanding fit and durability over time.
Removing a Zirconia Crown
Removing a zirconia crown requires local anaesthetic. Using a dental bur, the dentist carefully sections the crown to preserve as much of the underlying tooth as possible.
It is highly advisable to choose a clinic where dentists work under a dental microscope, as it allows for greater precision and minimises the risk of damaging the tooth structure beneath the crown.
Note: Due to zirconia's exceptional hardness, crown removal can be time-consuming and technically demanding, particularly for single crowns. The typical cost of zirconia crown removal is around €80–100.
Repairing a Chipped Zirconia Crown
If you have a monolithic zirconia crown, unfortunately, repairing a chip is not possible, as the structural integrity would be compromised. In such cases, the crown must be replaced. However, fractures in zirconia crowns are rare due to their high strength.
For crowns with a zirconia framework and ceramic layering, minor chipping of the ceramic can often be repaired by experienced dentists using composite bonding techniques.
An alternative repair method is the placement of a veneer over the affected area, offering superior aesthetics but at a higher cost.
- Composite bonding repair: approximately €100
- Veneer placement: approximately €600
How to Identify Zirconia Crowns
Visually, it is very difficult to distinguish zirconia crowns from other types.
Proper identification typically requires sectioning the crown and analysing its layers under a microscope.
If a crown has a zirconia framework with a ceramic exterior, only a professional using magnification can accurately diagnose it.
If the crown is made entirely of zirconia, an experienced dentist may be able to differentiate it by tapping — lower-quality materials used by inexpensive laboratories sometimes produce a dull, plastic-like sound.
In general, when crafted by a skilled technician, zirconia and ceramic crowns can be indistinguishable in appearance.
How Much Zirconia Crowns Cost
The cost per unit for zirconia crowns usually ranges between €500 and €900–1000, depending on the complexity of the case and the expertise of the dentist.
Cases requiring particularly high aesthetic results tend to be more expensive.
How to Care for Zirconia Crowns
Due to zirconia's excellent biocompatibility with the human body, caring for these crowns is similar to regular oral hygiene practices.
Continue brushing with your usual toothbrush, and maintain interdental hygiene using floss and irrigators.
Safety of Zirconia
To date, no harmful effects of zirconia have been proven. Research has shown that zirconia has high biocompatibility, comparable to titanium.
Moreover, zirconia is used in cases where patients are allergic to titanium. Zirconia implants are available and are considered safe and highly durable, although they are more expensive. Zirconia is also employed in orthopaedic prosthetics for knees and hips, further attesting to its safety for human use.
Lifespan of Zirconia Crowns
Typically, zirconia crowns are designed to last a lifetime.
Failures are extremely rare when crowns are properly made and maintained. Since zirconia is classified as a metal oxide, it shares the durability characteristics of metals but with enhanced biocompatibility.
Crowns featuring a zirconia framework with ceramic layering may have a slightly shorter lifespan (approximately 10 years) due to the ceramic’s relative fragility.
Important! The above lifespans refer only to the crown structure itself. Neglecting oral hygiene can lead to decay underneath the crown, ultimately resulting in the failure of the entire restoration.
