If you have broken, chipped, damaged, or missing teeth, you may need a dental crown to help restore your smile or strengthen and reinforce the structure of a weak tooth. A dental crown is essentially a small cap made from a strong, durable material that is placed over the top of the weakened tooth (or dental implant). It is colored and shaped to look like a natural tooth, and it helps to restore your oral health and the appearance of your smile. While dental crowns can be made from a number of different materials, two of the very best types are Zirconia crowns and E.max® crowns. Here’s a brief overview of the two, their similarities, and how they differ. 

 

What are Zirconia crowns?

Zirconia (also known as zirconium dioxide) is a white crystalline oxide of zirconium, a metal oxide known for its strength and durability. Similar  is one of the most widely used ceramic oxides. As an all-ceramic material, Zirconia is ideal for dental crowns for a number of reasons. For one, it is resistant to wear and tear as well as extreme hot and cold. It’s also durable and very difficult to crack. Zirconia is also biocompatible with the human body, which decreases the likelihood of infection, complications, and allergic reactions. And because zirconium dioxide is made of crystals, it gives the dental crowns a translucent appearance that is aesthetically pleasing and can be matched to the patient’s natural tooth color. 

 

What are E.max® crowns?

E.max® is a type of all-ceramic crown made from lithium distillate glass. E.max® crowns have many of the same properties as Zirconia crowns, and may even have the edge in some cases.  E.max® crowns provide excellent durability, and they’re resistant to wear and tear. They’re also aesthetically pleasing and can be matched to the color of the patient’s teeth. Because they’re made from a glass ceramic material, E.max® crowns are slightly more translucent than other types of crowns. This can be an advantage or a disadvantage, depending on the state of the tooth beneath. When it’s used to cover a stained or discolored tooth, the translucency of the E.max® crown may not quite hide the discoloration completely. 

 

What are the differences between E.max® crowns and Zirconia crowns?

Both Zirconia and E.max® are top-of-the-line materials that will provide you with long-lasting crowns, as long as you take care of them properly and visit your dentist regularly.  In general, however, each does have a slight edge over the other, so the best crown material depends on the particular circumstances.  Here’s what we mean:

  • Zirconia is the stronger of the two materials, so it’s typically recommended for teeth that get a lot of wear and tear from chewing, as well as for patients with bruxism. 
  • Zirconia, although slightly translucent, is also the more opaque of the two, making it a good choice for those who need crowns on smile teeth that are severely stained or discolored. 
  • E.max® is the more translucent of the two materials, providing a more natural and beautiful appearance, so it’s typically recommended on the most visible teeth, those in the front, which typically don’t undergo quite as much wear and tear. 
  • E.max® tends to be a bit more pricey, so some patients opt to use it only on visible teeth. 

The best way to determine whether Zirconia crowns or E.max® crowns are the right choice for you is to visit BioDental Care for a consultation. We’ll perform a full evaluation, assess the condition of your teeth, and present you with your options—as well as an overview of the costs involved. We know you’ll be thrilled to see how much money you can save for the same high quality dental care in Mexico. 

 

Save up to 67% on dental crowns in Mexico at BioDental Care!

At BioDental Care in Tijuana, Mexico, we offer dental crowns for $380 per tooth. In the U.S. the cost is $1200 or more. That’s more than 67% savings! We’re just a few miles away from downtown San Diego, right across the border in vibrant Tijuana. Whether you live nearby and want to visit just for the day, or you want to plan a longer vacation while you’re here, we’re happy to schedule an appointment around your needs. BioDental offers trusted and reliable dental care and unparalleled service at an affordable cost. To learn more about dental crowns at BioDental Care or to schedule a consultation with Dr. Trejo, give us a call at (619)754-8508 today.