The ultimate goal of every medical practitioner is to provide the most efficient services to the patients. It happens to dentists who look forward to giving satisfactory and durable restorations. For a fruitful repair, Monolithic Zirconia crowns are used. A Zirconia crown is a type of ceramic crown that is worn to give a better appearance of the tooth that has been disfigured or stained for quite some time. The crown is made from a durable material that cannot be rejected by the human body (Stober et al., 2014). Zirconia crown is also used for other medical purposes such as artificial joints due to its durability. Due to their flexural strength, full Contour Zirconia crowns have become very popular. Since they are milled with CAD/CAM, their application is highly efficient, especially when harmonized with digital impressions.
Monolithic crowns have become very familiar for the past months in the dental industry. A Monolithic Zirconia crown eliminates the weaker part of the crown making it much stronger. The preparation of MZ crowns is done using a butt shoulder, a knife-edge line or a chamfer. CAD/CAM makes these types of crowns. Mostly they are got from Green Zirconia mixed with a special liquid that is sintered at 1500 C in an oven (Stewart & Bagby, 2009). The preparation of the Monolithic Zirconia crown is done in a few steps that include first, a chamfer margin is made into the tooth with the reduction of the axial wall to 1.0 mm. Secondly; the impression is captured using an atomized and body that can be syringed. It will give a chance for a more accurate grind for the sintered zirconia. However, there is a high risk of fixing pre-sintered zirconia while milling is taking place (Stober et al., 2014, p. 37). The procedure is done with 5 to 10 degrees Celsius can make fabrication and restoration more predictable. Finally, the tooth is cleaned by Whip Mix with a Pumice Preppie. The internal surface is filled with the cement which is a paste made from Luting Plus Resin-Modified Ionomer Cement. A little pressure is therefore applied to the crown. The excess material is rubbed off once it reaches the waxy stage. The final finishing is done with a diamond paste to give the tooth a good look.
Several factors influence the selection of the crown restoration. In fabricating gel zirconia crown, there are protocols to be followed to ensure that a successful restoration is done. For instance, the restoration material should be carefully chosen with the necessary design, isolation capability, and essential bond lengths.MZ crowns should be used on patients with less inter-occlusal space due to its high strength. Patients with bruxim should also use the fabricate gel crowns.
The advantages of using zirconia crowns are that they are extraordinarily strong due to its high restoration strength. It can withstand both tear and wear. Additionally, the monolithic crowns are translucent and make it look like the natural teeth. This characteristic makes it possible for patients to prefer using the zirconia crowns since it gives the shade of the natural teeth. The capacity of the MZ crown to be modified according to the desired format is also an added advantage. It does not replace any tooth, but it may be made to appear much better than the one to be replaced (Stewart & Bagby, 2009, p.11). The restoration is also biocompatible with the mouth for quite some. Some of the crowns are rejected by bodies that are contrary to the MZ crowns. Similarly, if you grind your tooth, chances of breaking the crown is minimal. Zirconia crowns are less expensive hence saving resources. MZ can be easily shaped and can be polished using low-speed polishing materials. However, the dark side of MZ is that it is hard to remove the restoration once the crown is put into place. In addition, MZ crowns are newly invented hence less research has been done it.
Dental hygiene is paramount for every individual. Medical practitioners insist on better home care especially for a patient who has undergone Monolithic Zirconia crown restoration. Special considerations taken when using pastes made of prophylaxis since overuse may cause roughness to the crowned surface. It may also cause the breakdown of resin-luting on the ceramic surfaces. Patients are also advised not to use the fluoride paste because they may also cause roughness on the surface. It may result in increased staining giving it a weird look. Finally, the restorations are relatively fragile (Stewart & Bagby, 2009, p.18). Hence, patients should be well informed on how to handle it. For instance, one should avoid hard foods to avoid fractures and in the case of any, and the dentists should be informed for further advice.
In conclusion, Zirconia based crowns are a highly growing form of esthetic restoration. Its high strength increases its chances of patients preferring it as compared to other types. Restoration can be done both for anterior and posterior partial denture. Ideally, emphasis should be put in opting for homecare program to gain maximum restoration. Homecare ensures that regular evaluation and observation is made. Initially, MZ was made for patients who had a tendency of breaking the esthetic material of posterior crown. This has worked out effectively when homecare is adopted.
References
Stewart, M., & Bagby, M. D. (2009). Clinical aspects of dental materials: Theory, practice, and cases. Philadelphia: Wolters Kluwer Health/Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
Stober, T., Bermejo, J., Rues, S., Rammelsberg, P., & Schmitter, M. (2014). Wear behaviour of monolithic zirconia crowns – clinical results. Dental Materials, 30, e100. doi:10.1016/j.dental.2014.08.204
