Why does my dentist want to use a metal crown instead of a porcelain crown?
Hello Dr. Hurley,
My dentist is placing a crown on my right rear molar. I asked him if he could use porcelain, and he told me that the crown have to be metal or gold, because there isn’t enough space between my teeth. I thought I read somewhere that metal takes up more space than porcelain. I prefer to have a porcelain crown instead of a metal one.
Thank you,
- Cynthia from Nebraska
Dear Cynthia,
If there is limited space in your mouth, then your dentist should use a metal crown. Porcelain crowns are in fact thicker than metal crowns, because they need to be strong enough to endure chewing.
Various options for metal are gold alloy or other alloys. The most common metal used is gold since it is corrosion-resistant, and it will fit better than any other type of metal crown. Metal crowns also last longer, because they are more durable. The only drawback is their metallic color. But since this is for a back molar, you should be fine. My recommendation is to choose a gold metal crown. It may cost more, but it will last much longer than any other metal.
See examples of crowns in my Smile Gallery, or read more about this procedure here.