Kingsport, TN

Zirconia crowns have become increasingly popular over the past decade. Patients and dentists alike often prefer Zirconia crowns over PFM crowns because of their durability and aesthetics. You may not be as familiar with crowns made of Zirconia, but these all-ceramic restorations can last for many years. Unfortunately, some dentists steer clear of offering Zirconia crowns to their patients because they are not comfortable with the prep work involved or they may struggle with properly seating and adjusting them. Today on our newest blog, we explore tips on dealing with fitting issues for Zirconia crowns and how to get the perfect fit for your patients.

Why do Zirconia crowns cause fitting issues?

The dentist rushed the process: There is no doubt that rushing a prep will not end with the desired results. When you rush, you’re more likely to encounter errors, like incorrect margins, which could lead to saliva and bacteria seeping under the crown, resulting in decay or periodontal problems.

The crown isn’t seated correctly: When seating a crown, you must ensure that you take every precaution necessary to keep the tooth completely isolated and dry, preventing saliva and bacteria from being trapped under the crown. If the crown is not seated correctly, it could cause a leak or compromise the integrity of the crown, causing it to pop off or break.

The impressions or digital images contain errors: Sometimes, an impression contains air bubbles, or wasn’t removed carefully enough, which can distort the impression. If you take digital imaging that is used to fabricate the crown, you could run into problems if the images aren’t clear or have a bad angle.

The preparation wasn’t right: We’re all human, and we all make mistakes. It happens to the best of us. A tooth that is hard to reach, or a patient that can’t sit still could result in an improper tooth prep, which ultimately results in the crown not fitting the way it’s supposed to fit.

Fixing fitting issues

Step 1: Change your cementation process

First, check the fit of the crown by trying it on the patient’s tooth. Then, you should clean the tooth with pumice, ensuring there is no residual temp bond left on the tooth. Next, decontaminate the Zirconia crown before applying the priming agent, unless the crown has a built-in primer. If you aren’t sure whether the crown has a built-in primer, contact your dental lab to find out. Then, cement the crown, cure it, and gently remove excess cement.

The decontamination step of the process is perhaps one of the most vital steps of the process.

Decontamination methods include:

• Sandblasting – You should refer to the manufacturer’s recommendations before using this method. The process can be done by applying very light and low pressure as you sandblast the inside of the crown.
• Sodium hypochlorite – This process can be done by wiping the crown with gauze soaked in a 5% concentration of sodium hypochlorite or full hydrogen peroxide, which is then rinsed and dried thoroughly before seating the crown.
• Ivoclean – This is a proprietary solution that allows you to soak the crown in the solution for about 20 seconds before rinsing. And then you air dry the crown before bonding it.

If you’re still struggling to get a proper fit with ideal margins, contact your dental lab to discuss the issues. Don’t cut corners, and don’t settle. Let us help you get the job done right so that your patients are happy and satisfied with their results.

Premier Dental Arts is a state-of-the-art dental lab in Kingsport, Tennessee. If you would like to learn more about our services, please contact our office by calling (888) 732-5221.