Metal crowns and bridges do not look very attractive, so they began to be coated with a dense substance that imitates enamel. This makes the product more aesthetically pleasing. What other metal crowns with spraying are available?
Hardware
The first coated dentures were, which looked, let’s say, not very aesthetically pleasing. This method was the only salvation for those who had lost teeth. There were also steel structures that were more durable and did not have a negative impact on the condition of the oral cavity.
Metal dentures are used for prosthetics of chewing teeth, as they can withstand high loads when chewing food. Basic readings for installation of metal crowns:
- protection from the carious process and further destruction,
- a decayed tooth that was replaced with a filling,
- prosthetics on implants,
- for support,
- prosthetics of chewing elements.
Expert opinion. Dentist Volokh E.E.: “One-piece products are cast according to individual impressions, so they fit tightly around the tooth and are characterized by high strength and long service life. The production technology eliminates the occurrence of chips and cracks through which plaque and infection can enter.”
Species solid crowns:
In most cases, solid-cast structures are used in conjunction with metal-ceramics: when it is necessary to make a bridge-like structure, part of the teeth of which falls into the smile line. In this case, the front teeth are made of metal ceramics, and the side teeth are made of solid dentures.
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What is spraying?
They are coated with a special material – titanium nitride using a vacuum-plasma method. Dentists borrowed this technology from industry, where it was used to protect instruments and certain parts from corrosion.
That is why, until such specialized equipment appeared in dentistry, dentures were sent to the nearest plant for coating in a metalworking shop.
The spray coating process is carried out in a nitrogen atmosphere at high temperature and electric voltage. From the electrode, which is made of titanium nitride, the ions move to the second electrode - the crown itself. The prosthesis is first degreased and polished, this promotes a stronger bond between the metals.
The structure is sprayed on absolutely all sides; it cannot be partially coated. But if a bridge or crown is made with plastic elements, this must be taken into account when spraying. In recent years, such products have caused serious controversy among doctors, as there is an assumption that they have a negative effect on the oral cavity and the patient’s body.
How much does the design cost? Several factors influence price formation:
- status, pricing policy of the clinic,
- specialist qualification,
- materials used for manufacturing,
- quality of materials,
- accompanying manipulations and procedures,
- the amount of work performed by the doctor.
Metal dental crowns are made from a mixture of gold, copper, titanium and other metals that provide strength and resistance to corrosion. One example of a classic metal crown is a gold crown, or more precisely, a gold alloy.
Over the decades, many different metal alloys have been used to create dental crowns. Some of these metals may be silver in color and may contain mixtures of various metals such as titanium, vitalium (cobalt-chromium alloy), silver, etc. Next, we will take a closer look at the types of metal crowns.
Metal dental crowns
A gold crown is an excellent choice and is recommended for chewing teeth. Gold is a very workable metal - this helps to achieve a very precise fit to the crown. Gold crowns can withstand strong bites and clenching well. Of all the types of dental crowns, gold ones have the greatest potential for long-term wear. Additionally, the wear rate of a gold crown is about the same as tooth enamel. This means that the gold on the dental crown will not create excessive wear on the opposing teeth. The only problem with gold crowns nowadays is the high cost of gold.
Metal crowns coated in white and yellow
In cases where a metal crown is removed, you may have a preference as to whether a yellow crown (like gold) or a silver crown (like white) should be placed. The composition of the alloy determines its color. Noble metals for teeth: gold, platinum and palladium. In most cases, the overall cost between using a noble or base metal alloy can be small, so if you have a large crown, it may be the deciding factor in this matter.
Allergic harm and service life of metal crowns
You should also be aware that some people are allergic to metals. Studies have reported that about 10% of the female population and 5% of the male population have an allergic reaction to nickel, chromium and/or beryllium, (these metals are often found in base alloy crowns).
In this case, you need to choose more expensive or.
Solid metal crowns and bridges
As their name indicates, these prostheses are made entirely of one piece of alloy. The metals used in crowns and bridges consist of gold alloys, other noble alloys (eg palladium) or a base metal alloy (eg nickel, chromium, titanium). Stainless steel or aluminum are used as temporary crowns.
Photo of metal crowns on teeth
Compared to other types of crowns, metal crowns minimize the removal of tooth structure and wear on opposing teeth. Metal crowns and metal bridges can withstand strong bites, break less often, and last longer. The main disadvantage of solid metal crowns during restoration is their non-aesthetic appearance - the metallic color is the main disadvantage. Indications
- Metal crowns and bridges are a good choice for back teeth.
- To replace acrylic or composite veneers, a solid metal crown may be a better choice.
- Although porcelain fused to metal seems to be the best solution, solid gold and titanium crowns are still widely used on posterior teeth.
Solid gold crowns and bridges
Gold is an excellent dental alloy and is used for various types of indirect restorations such as:
- Crowns and bridges made of porcelain fused with gold.
- Solid gold crowns and bridges.
- Removable partial dentures or inserts.
Advantages of gold alloys 1. Gold alloy will not corrode. Some metal alloys, under the influence of saliva, can undergo the so-called phenomenon of corrosion. This can result in an unsightly gray discoloration on the top of the dental crown. 2. Gold alloy has superior strength and resistance. The main advantage is that gold alloys can be manufactured to very thin thicknesses and still retain strength and stability. The advantage of this is that less tooth structure will be removed during the restoration. 3. Gold alloys are much lighter than non-ferrous alloys (with the exception of titanium). 4. Gold alloys are very well tolerated by the body and do not cause allergic reactions.
Cast metal crowns and titanium bridges
The use of titanium alloys for medical and dental work has increased dramatically in recent years. Due to its many physical and mechanical properties, titanium is used as a material for dental implants and dentures. The strength and rigidity of titanium are comparable to other noble or highly noble alloys used in dentistry.
In dentistry, titanium is used for many purposes: mainly for dental implants. This is the main material for the manufacture of solid metal crowns, etc. Although the cost of titanium prostheses is high, as a rule, it does not reach the price of gold crowns.
Dental crowns made of base metal alloys
Solid metal dentures are less expensive. They have good strength and durability, although they are inferior to gold or titanium alloys. For manufacturing, various metal alloys are used: nickel, chromium, iron and other stainless steels. As already mentioned, aluminum is used mainly for temporary crowns. It is a good choice when patients cannot afford more expensive crowns.
Experts advise placing metal crowns only in certain cases, if:
- It is precisely those teeth that are responsible for chewing that are destroyed;
- sections of the jaw row are noticeably worn;
- the tooth is severely damaged or injured;
- There are implants on the teeth.
To install such a product, you need to visit an orthopedic dentist at least twice. First, the doctor will review x-rays of the oral jaw, then begin treatment for caries of those teeth where metal crowns will be installed. The nerve is removed from the place where turning or preparation is planned.
Types of metal crowns
Metal dental crowns can be divided into two types: stamped and solid.
Stamped products are easier to manufacture and their cost is lower than cast ones. The design is a cap that is put on the tooth like a case. With this method of prosthetics, minimal grinding is necessary - the walls of stamped dental crowns are very thin, and can be used on living teeth.
There are also disadvantages: lost chewing functions are not fully restored, with long-term use the material may wear off, and if the fit is not tight, there is a high risk of developing caries.
Solid dentures are made using the one-piece casting method. The patient can choose from several product options - with or without spraying, with veneering or in the form of a combined bridge prosthesis. The advantages include strength and high wear resistance.
The following alloys are used to create the coating: gold-containing, titanium, chromium-cobalt, silver-palladium, steel. The disadvantage of many products is the lack of naturalness, since in accordance with the color of the base metal, the products acquire a silver, gold or steel tint.
The most attractive are devices with gold cladding. They have a smooth surface and do not accumulate pathogens and food particles.
Gold is considered an antiseptic material.
The disadvantage of such designs is that they are too expensive and are not available to all patients. Currently, titanium nitride coatings are increasingly used in dental practice. It looks as natural as possible; such models can be placed not only on the chewing group of the dentition, but also on the frontal group, since they have high aesthetic indicators.
The advantages of devices with cladding include:
- long period of operation;
- maximum naturalness, their shade does not differ from real elements;
- imitation of the anatomical shape of a real element;
- no allergic reactions to metal;
- tight grip around the neck of the tooth, so that the patient does not feel a foreign object in the mouth.
An undeniable advantage of such dental devices is also the fact that during their use the taste sensations do not deteriorate, since there is no metallic taste in the mouth, which cannot be said about traditional designs made of dental steel.
The doctor decides which device to choose for dental restoration based on the condition of the oral cavity and his own tooth. An important factor in choosing models is the patient’s budget, since crowns with different coatings differ significantly in cost and are not available to every person.
Sprayed metal crowns are made using two main methods:
- Stamped crown. This is a standard design, processed by a specialized apparatus that gives it the required shape.
- One-piece crown. Its production begins with taking an impression using impression mass. The crown is then fired in a kiln. Solid dentures have a long service life.
For the manufacture of crowns, both valuable metals (platinum, gold, etc.) and ordinary ones (copper steel, chromium-based alloys, etc.) are used. Previously, the metallic shine allowed them to be used only for chewing molars. But the appearance of white coating made it possible to solve this problem.
Contraindications for installation
Installing a metal crown is not always possible. Such designs are contraindicated in several cases:
- metal crowns do not look very aesthetically pleasing, so they are rarely installed on the smile line;
- installation of metal crowns is not carried out if a person has allergies to metals;
- Metal prosthetics are not recommended for bruxism, serious damage to supporting teeth and violation of row occlusion.
Installation of a metal crown is performed:
- for preliminary prosthetics of a baby tooth before replacing it with a permanent one;
- to preserve a healthy tooth;
- as a fundamental component when installing a bridge;
- if the tooth is so traumatized or damaged by caries that it is impossible to restore it with a filling.
In some cases, it is not recommended to install a metal crown if you have:
- bruxism;
- the presence of an allergic reaction to steel;
- broken dentition;
- noticeable damage to a living tooth;
- complex due to poor aesthetics when prosthetizing anterior teeth.
Price issue
As stated above, silvering children's teeth does not belong to the class of expensive procedures. The cost of manipulations varies from 600 to 1200 rubles. It is due to its availability that this type of spraying is very popular.
But the procedure for adults is already expensive. Cleaning and whitening in a dental office will cost the patient from 12,000 to 16,000 rubles. Installing one coated metal crown will cost 1,500 rubles. A cast metal tooth with a special compound applied costs the same amount.
In general, most types of crowns offer the best value for money depending on their reliability, aesthetics and durability.
How much does it cost to put a crown on one tooth?
| Types of crowns | Average price for one crown, rub. | Average service life, years |
|---|---|---|
| Metal-ceramic | 9000 | 12-15 |
| Ceramic: | ||
| - porcelain | 13000 | 10-15 |
| — zirconium | 22000 | 7-10 |
| Metal: | ||
| - stamped | 3000 | 5-7 |
| - cast | 4500 | 10-15 |
| - gold | 12000 | 15-20 |
| Metal-plastic | 1000 | 1-2 |
| Implant supported: | ||
| - metal-ceramic | 22000 | 12-15 |
| - ceramic | 30000 | 10-15 |
Prices vary depending on a number of factors described above; as the number of crowns increases, the price increases significantly.
The first metal dentures were made of gold or steel. Gold items not only protected badly damaged teeth well, but also positively characterized the financial condition of their owner. Steel crowns were both stronger and cheaper, but their appearance left much to be desired. And a compromise was found in the form of a coating that imitates gold.
What is spraying?
Metal dentures are coated with titanium nitride using the vacuum-plasma method. This technology was borrowed by dental technicians from industry, where it was widely used for anti-corrosion protection of instruments and some parts of machine tools and other units. Therefore, until doctors acquired their own equipment, crowns were sent to the nearest large plant for coating in the metalworking shop.
Sputtering is carried out at high temperatures and electric voltages in a nitrogen atmosphere. From one electrode made of titanium nitride, ions rush to another electrode - the orthopedic structure itself, where the yellow alloy settles in a thin layer. The product is pre-polished and degreased, which promotes a stronger bond between the metals.
If in industry the main purpose of spraying is to increase the surface strength and anti-corrosion properties of the product, then in dentistry these qualities were not so in demand. The main thing for dentures is the biological inertness of the coating, low cost and external resemblance to gold. And in the manufacture of soldered bridges, titanium nitride isolated the solders from contact with saliva, which in some cases significantly extended their service life, reducing the intensity of oxidative processes.
What combinations of coated and uncoated denture elements are possible?
First of all, it is impossible to partially coat the prosthesis; it is sprayed simultaneously from all sides. However, if a bridge or crown is made with plastic parts in mind, after coating it is possible to model the facets or other cladding elements. To ensure that the retaining elements of removable dentures do not stand out against the background of yellow crowns, the clasps were also coated with titanium nitride. Later, at the request of the patient, they began to manufacture frames with spraying. You can coat not only stamped, but also cast crowns and bridges. But this technology turned out to be completely incompatible with metal-ceramics, therefore, if, in order to save money, part of the prosthesis is made without lining, it remains light and shiny like polished stainless steel.
Currently, the issue of banning coated metal dentures is being actively discussed. This is mainly due to low aesthetics and non-competitiveness with metal-ceramic and zirconium products. There are also a number of criticisms of stamped crowns, which are most often made with a coating, and are inferior in accuracy to cast ones. However, low cost, manufacturability and greater durability will allow sprayed crowns to be in demand among poorer segments of the population in many countries of the world for a very long time.
Spraying enamel on teeth is a full-fledged independent segment in the aesthetic dentistry industry. The method is widely used in dental prosthetics, as well as in restoring the visual attractiveness of a smile after aggressive treatment. Spraying refers to the uniform application of a special specific paint to the surface of the teeth, after which it firmly “sticks” to them and creates the effect of a natural snow-white smile.
For whom is the procedure relevant?
I must say, the procedure is not so popular in itself. A person with a completely healthy oral cavity resorts to completely different methods of whitening, ranging from laser to medication.
But if the enamel is destroyed on its own, or a person needs unattractive dentures, spraying creates the greatest demand among dental patients. Some prefer even exotic techniques of spraying enamel on their teeth to make them platinum or gold. But first things first.
- The process of destruction of enamel leads not only to numerous diseases of the oral cavity, but also to a significant decrease in the aesthetics of a smile. And alas, banal teeth cleaning cannot cope with this destructive process, even if it is performed by a professional on an outpatient basis.
- However, there is a new hygienic procedure that involves not only effective sanitation of the oral cavity, but also medicinal spraying of concentrated calcium onto the surface of the teeth. Previous cleaning techniques, for example, ultrasonic, were aimed only at eliminating the stone and subsequent application of fluoride-containing paste to the surface of the bone tissue.
- This method really helped to avoid the formation of carious cavities, but it only protected dentin, without affecting the deep structures.
- Modern cleaning technologies are suitable not only for whitening, but also for deep restoration of tooth enamel. During the procedure, the dentist applies a special solution containing calcium in the optimal amount.
- In luxury segment blades, exclusive products are used for this procedure, for example, pearl powder. As a result, the tooth is saturated with calcium and becomes much less susceptible to various diseases.
- In addition, the surface is polished, which creates the effect of a real Hollywood smile. The powder granules have a specific structure and do not contain hard abrasives, which eliminates an increase in sensitivity after using the method.
As a result of cleaning with calcined coating, the patient receives:
- A charming snow-white smile;
- Healthy shine and ideal density;
- Minimum sensitivity threshold after applying the method;
- Strengthening teeth and prolonging their healthy state;
- Reliable protection against caries, pulpitis and other destructive processes.
How is the procedure performed?
It must be said that not every average patient can afford such a procedure. It, like standard professional cleaning, is recommended to be performed regularly, at a certain time interval.
However, it is she who provides high-quality oral care, so admirers of Hollywood smiles should still spend money on it.
Each clinic uses different formulations when spraying teeth to make them whiter. If you decide to resort to such a procedure, specify which particular remedy will be used in your case.
- The composition itself is applied sequentially, mainly using a laser. This procedure is completely painless and safe, and therefore arouses genuine interest among numerous clients of aesthetic dental offices.
- Sprayed crowns are standardly used for dental prosthetics. However, standard implants may not be suitable for everyone, because the color of the “native” enamel is as unique as everything in the human form.
- Agree, a snow-white crown will contrast with nearby teeth of a grayish or yellowish tint. It is for this reason that spraying is used simultaneously on all teeth, at least those that are exposed when smiling.
- Spraying tooth enamel with zirconium is now extremely popular. The fact is that zirconium dioxide crowns themselves are quite expensive.
- However, with a limited budget, it is possible to use the same material on already installed metal crowns. Crowns on teeth coated with high-quality zirconium are absolutely no different from the “healthy” part of the mouth.
- In addition to the aesthetic part, this method ensures the creation of a dense zirconium layer on the pins themselves, thereby helping to protect against metal penetration into the oral cavity. But the installation of metal prostheses often leads to rejection of foreign bodies and the development of allergic reactions.
Prosthetics with one-step spraying
If it happens that you have lost your teeth and you need to restore them without compromising your beauty, the best option for you is dental prosthetics with spraying. Metal crowns and bridges do not look very attractive, and this is no secret. And if you cover them with a dense substance that imitates healthy, polished enamel, the appearance will not only be restored, but also significantly transformed.
Remember the first prosthetics that we all saw in the 90s? They were gold teeth, i.e. crowns with gold plating. This is not to say that this method was cheap, but it was used by everyone who had lost teeth.
- Despite the real gold sparkling in the mouth, this method was not visually acceptable. Although, to be honest, some outrageous people deliberately resort to it today, when dentistry, in particular aesthetic dentistry, has been developed, it would seem, to its evolutionary limit.
- There were also steel prostheses. They were cheaper, but much stronger. In addition, they caused almost no allergic reactions and problems with gum inflammation.
- Modern metal simulators of teeth with coating are in no way different from their healthy and intact “neighbors”. Prosthetics takes place in several stages: a pin is created, then an impression is made, and only after that a special composition is applied to the frame, creating the effect of a full-fledged tooth.
- Titanium nitride is often applied to coated iron dental prostheses. This procedure is carried out using the vacuum-plasma method. As a result, the tooth looks as if it was molded from gold. Some patients contact clinics with a request to cover only part of the tooth with gold. This is impossible, since the entire prosthesis is sprayed on both sides.
- Spraying enamel can be useful to you in several situations. If prosthetics has taken place, this procedure will become most relevant. You can also safely resort to it to strengthen natural enamel or safely whiten teeth. Whatever your whim or need, we strongly recommend that you contact an experienced and competent specialist.
Due to the high demand for dental services, many private clinics and dental offices have appeared, employing newcomers and trainees.
