Zirconia Ceramic Crowns

GHC Praha provides full-coverage zirconia ceramic crowns for teeth that are severely damaged, root-canal-treated, or have undergone significant structural loss. Zirconia crowns offer exceptional strength combined with natural tooth-coloured aesthetics — eliminating the grey metal margin visible at the gumline in older porcelain-fused-to-metal crowns. The crown is fabricated by a dental technician after precise impressions and cemented permanently at a second appointment, restoring full function and aesthetics to the tooth.

A dental crown is a cap that covers the entire visible portion of a tooth above the gumline, restoring its shape, strength, size, and appearance. Crowns are indicated when a tooth has too little remaining structure to support a filling, has been root-canal-treated (which makes teeth more brittle), has fractured significantly, or to cap a dental implant. GHC Praha uses zirconia-based ceramic crowns — the current gold standard in full-coverage restorations: **Why zirconia:** *Strength:* Zirconia (zirconium dioxide) is an exceptionally hard ceramic — significantly stronger than conventional porcelain — making it suitable for molars and posterior teeth where biting forces are highest. *Aesthetics:* Modern multilayer zirconia crowns mimic the colour gradient and translucency of natural enamel and dentine. They require no metal substructure, eliminating the dark metal margin at the gum that ages poorly and becomes visible as gums recede. *Biocompatibility:* Zirconia is highly biocompatible with minimal gum irritation, unlike some metal alloys. **The procedure:** *Preparation (first appointment):* The dentist reduces the tooth on all surfaces under local anaesthetic to create space for the crown. The amount of reduction depends on the crown material and existing tooth structure. An impression (or digital intraoral scan) is taken and sent to the laboratory. A temporary crown protects the prepared tooth. *Fabrication:* The dental technician fabricates the zirconia crown to precisely match the adjacent teeth in colour and contour. Fabrication typically takes 1–2 weeks. *Cementation (second appointment):* The crown is tried in, adjusted for fit and bite, and permanently cemented with adhesive resin cement. **Longevity:** Zirconia crowns typically last 15–20+ years. They can fracture under extreme force (bruxism — teeth grinding — should be managed with a night guard).