Pasadena Dental Crowns

Dental crowns placed by Dr. Azarbal provide not only proper dental treatment but a beautiful cosmetic result. His customized, natural-looking, ceramic crowns are not only strong, but are virtually identical to the surrounding teeth.

When is a dental crown necessary?

Dental crowns are needed when a tooth has a large area of decay that cannot be adequately treated with just a filling. A crown covers the entire chewing surface of the tooth and wraps around the sides of the tooth, extending to the gum line.
Before the advent of dental bonding, crowns were made entirely of metal, often gold or a gold alloy, because this was the only material strong enough to withstand the constant wear and tear of biting and chewing. Advances in ceramic technology, however, have produced a variety of materials that can withstand such pressures. Ceramics can be manipulated to match the natural whiteness and translucency of teeth.

Dental crown options

Patients who need a dental crown have a variety of options:

All-ceramic (porcelain) crowns – Crowns made entirely of ceramic material. These are often referred to as “porcelain crowns” because dental-grade porcelain is one of the most popular ceramic materials. These are the most cosmetic approach because they can be matched specifically to the patient's existing teeth. They are more expensive, however. Dr. Azarbal often recommends placement of ceramic dental crowns on the most visible teeth.

Porcelain-fused-to-metal crowns – These crowns have a metal foundation, but are covered with a ceramic material. They provide some of the cosmetic benefit of all-ceramic crowns, but, because they must cover metal, they are opaque and lack the translucency of natural teeth. Over time, these crowns also tend to show a dark line where the tooth meets the gum. They are a more affordable option, and can still provide a cosmetic result when used on back teeth.

All-metal crowns – The traditional metal crowns are even stronger than porcelain-fused-to-metal, and are a good choice for molars and back teeth that are subject to heavy chewing pressures and are less visible than front teeth. Gold is the best material to use for these crowns because it can be made to fit so precisely and it will never corrode or deteriorate, so they will last the longest of any crown.

You can see an example of the difference in appearance between all-ceramic crowns and porcelain-fused-to-metal crowns in the images, below.

The same patient with new all-porcelain crowns.