Metal-ceramic prostheses, also known as porcelain-fused-to-metal (PFM) prostheses, offer a reliable and durable solution for patients seeking tooth replacement with both aesthetic appeal and structural strength. These prostheses consist of a metal framework covered with layers of porcelain, ensuring a natural look while providing long-lasting stability. Widely used in dental rehabilitation, PFM prostheses are ideal for patients who need durable solutions, particularly in areas of the mouth where the force of chewing is greater.
At Clínica ImplArt, the application of metal-porcelain prostheses combines advanced dental technology with expert craftsmanship, ensuring optimal results for each patient. The clinic’s dental specialists are well-versed in modern techniques that improve both the functionality and the aesthetics of these prostheses, delivering a solution that blends seamlessly with natural teeth while maintaining high resistance to wear and tear over time.
The metal-ceramic prosthesis is a traditional material for making crowns on implants
How do the prostheses work with this building materials?
Metal acts as a structural reinforcement, while porcelain offers aesthetics. Therefore, the positive points of this material are: resistance, great durability and aesthetics, characteristics that are very similar to natural teeth.
1 – Metal-ceramicprosthesisfor single implants 2 – Metal-ceramic prosthesis for individual implants 3 – Metal-ceramic prosthesis for implants – several teeth.
Among the indications for metal-ceramic crowns on implants are also crowns, bridges and complete fixed prostheses. One of the great difficulties in working with metal ceramics is the need to completely hide the metal.
Example of metal-ceramic prostheses made at the ImplArt Clinic
We can do your metal-ceramic bridge in Brazil
How are the aesthetics of metal-ceramic dental crowns? Does the metal not show?
This model of crown can change over the years. Sometimes the gums can recede over time and expose a metal line, compromising the aesthetics of the smile.
Especially in areas where aesthetics are essential, we recommend zirconia crowns. These are prostheses with an internal structure made of zirconia, a white ceramic material with a shade and translucency very similar to human dentin.
In addition, the application of porcelain in metal-ceramic prostheses is completely handmade and the final aesthetic depends a lot on the skill of the ceramist (technician who works with ceramics).
If you have any questions about techniques, prices or treatments, please contact us or make an appointment. We’ll be happy to welcome you!
Dental contact lenses are ultra-thin porcelain veneers (0.2 mm), used mainly to correct some aesthetic dental problems. They work similarly to “caps” that are bonded to one or more teeth to cover stains, small dental fractures and other defects, or to change the shape and size of teeth.
How to transform the aesthetics of your smile with dental contact lenses?
Dental contact lens treatment is certainly the smile of the famous.Dental contact lenses are completely computer-designed and made from dental porcelain by milling machines (3D printers).
Dental porcelain is a vitreous ceramic material (lithium disilicate) that is very resistant and, above all, imitates the texture and shade of natural teeth. It is also a safe material that is totally biocompatible with the human body.
The project is carried out according to images obtained by an intraoral scanner – a high-precision camera.
Stages of a dental contact lens treatment in our clinic that works with CAD CAM computerized techniques
Immediately after milling, dental contact lenses have a shape, color and texture comparable to natural teeth, even imitating the characteristics of neighboring teeth. Because they are ultra-thin, installation requires little or no wear on the natural teeth. Indications for dental contact lenses:
This porcelain lens was made using a computerized technique. Note that the machine sculpts the block until the dental contact lens is extracted from it
They don’t require much tooth grinding to be installed
Preserves the structure of the teeth
No discomfort in chewing function
Porcelain doesn’t change color over the years
Incredibly natural and harmonious result
It can be designed and executed in a short time, in some cases even in a Day Clinic.
Porcelain lenses made using digital techniques
At the ImplArt dental clinic, all this work is primarily done in a precise and personalized way for each patient. This is only possible because we have CAD/CAM-based technologies on our premises, which not only carry out the computerized design of the treatment, but also the execution of the dental contact lenses.
Before and after photos of dental contact lenses
Are dental lenses good? Do they look artificial or too big?
Dental contact lenses are a type of ultra-thin porcelain veneer (0.2 mm) used to correct certain aesthetic problems with the teeth.
Dental contact lenses to transform the appearance of your teeth
Aesthetic treatment for stained, misaligned, asymmetrical or broken teeth
Dental lenses work like “covers” that are glued onto one or more teeth to cover stains, small fractures and other defects, or to change the shape and size of teeth. Dental contact lens treatment is the smile of the famous.
Dental contact lenses are completely computer-designed and then made from dental porcelain using milling machines (3D printers). Dental porcelain is a vitreous ceramic material (lithium disilicate) that is very resistant and mimics the texture and shade of natural teeth.
It is also a safe material and therefore totally biocompatible with the human body. The computerized design is based on images taken by an intraoral scanner – a high-precision camera.
Dental contact lenses step by step (in case of dental asymmetry)
At the end of the milling process, the dental contact lenses have a shape, color and texture comparable to natural teeth, even imitating the characteristics of neighboring teeth. Because they are ultra-thin, installation requires little or no wear on the natural teeth.
The lenses are then bonded with dental cement activated with a light-curing device. ImplArt uses one of the best contact lens light-curing devices on the market, making treatment more efficient and safer. Find out more.
Indications for dental contact lenses:
Covering stains
Change in the shape of the teeth
Change in tooth color
Enlargement of small teeth
Aligning crowded teeth
Covering small fractures
Uniformization of uneven and asymmetrical teeth
Advantages of lenses:
High resistance and long durability of the dental contact lens
Very aesthetic look, comparable to natural teeth
Minimally invasive restorations
Completely painless procedure
They don’t require much tooth grinding to be installed
Preserves the structure of the teeth
No discomfort in chewing function
Porcelain doesn’t change color over the years
Incredibly natural and harmonious result
It can be designed and executed in a short time, in some cases even in a Day Clinic.
Before and after contact lenses: find out about some of the treatments performed at ImplArt:
At ImplArt Odontologia, all this work is certainly done in a precise and personalized way for each patient. This is only possible because we have CAD/CAM-based technologies on our premises, which not only carry out the computerized design of the treatment, but also the execution of the dental contact lenses. If you have any questions, please contact us.
Translucent cubic zirconia is an evolution of conventional dental zirconia. Dental zirconia is increasingly being used as a material for making a dental crown or even for a fixed prosthesis on dental implants.Translucent Zirconia has certainly come to revolutionize the way dental prostheses are made, since it uses modern computer graphics resources to design the prostheses, and modern 3D milling machines to sculpt them.This makes treatment faster and more comfortable for the patient.
In addition, Zirconia is the most resistant material compared to other types of crownsand allows for results with a high degree of naturalness, being the most similar to the appearance of natural teeth.
First and foremost, one of the greatest advantages of the Pure Zirconia dental crown is its strength and durability.In addition, its modern execution method, which doesn’t require the old mass moldings and only uses a 3D scanner, makes the treatment much more comfortable for the patient.It is therefore an excellent option for those who want metal-free treatment, a situation that is highly valued today with biological dentistry.
Translucent cubic zirconia crown for molar tooth (bottom), with hole for screwing into dental implant
These zirconia structures can be used both for implant prostheses, types of crowns on implants and for crowns on natural teeth.One of the pioneering companies in the development of durable and aesthetic zirconia dental prostheses is the Austrian company AmannGirrbach.Now it is introducing a new type of dental ceramic: Zolid FX translucent cubic zirconia.
It is a fully biocompatible material used to make first-rate prosthetic crowns, not only single-unit, but also bridges of up to 3 units. The main characteristics of Zolid FX are its super-high translucency, high strength and long-term stability.
It is therefore a strong alternative to the already established lithium disilicate (glass ceramic), and can therefore be especially suitable for cases that require high porcelain crown strength. Cubic zirconia crowns can be installed both anteriorly with excellent aesthetics and posteriorly. They can also be used in dental implant treatment.
What is the manufacturing process like?
The Zolid FX cubic zirconia crown is made using computerized CAD/CAM equipment.It starts with milling the rough block on a 3D printer to the shape of the tooth.The zirconia crown is finished with the manual addition of colors and shading so that the crown has natural visual characteristics, like the neighboring teeth.The pure zirconia crown is super aesthetic and is up to 10 times stronger than ordinary (feldspatica) porcelain.
Translucent cubic zirconia crowns are suitable for bruxism patients due to their resistance
Bruxism is an oral functional disorder characterized by involuntary grinding or clenching of the teeth. The excessive force generated by bruxism can cause not only muscle and joint pain in simpler cases, but also the destruction of part of the tissues (bone and gum), enamel or the structure of the dental crown in more advanced cases.
It is important to remember that before your permanent porcelain crown is made, you will receive a temporary crown. This is used to check the aesthetics and chewability of the permanent crown.
Translucent zirconia crown for the front teeth. The two central incisor teeth (the largest) were made from pure dental zirconia
However, bruxism can be just as damaging to the structures of prosthetic crowns made from certain materials. For this reason, there has always been a need to develop prostheses with increasingly resistant and stable materials, and at the same time aesthetic (without metals in the structure).
The translucency and strength characteristics of Zolid FX are fundamental to making the prosthetic crown very comparable to natural teeth. The result is extremely aesthetic crowns and restorations with high strength and long-term stability.
ImplArt Dental Clinic only works with materials of the highest quality, developed by serious companies. For example, AmannGirrbach, which only introduces materials and equipment to the market after carrying out numerous tests and research.
The metal-free porcelain crown provides aesthetics combined with strength and durability
What is a porcelain crown?
A porcelain crown is an artificial tooth – a dental prosthesis – that resembles in form and function a natural tooth that has been damaged. Porcelain crowns can also be grouped together to make fixed bridges or fixed porcelain prostheses. Here at the ImplArt Dental Clinic in Brazil, we make metal-free crowns using completely computerized systems. We therefore offer our patients the most modern systems and the most advanced results.
What is dental porcelain?
Porcelain is a material that resembles glass and is used to reconstruct teeth. It has a natural color and high resistance. It is also called dental ceramic.
Types and materials of porcelain crowns
In short, there are different types of materials used to make porcelain crowns: the older materials use metal and the more modern ones are metal-free. Porcelain crowns with metal internal structures are called metal-ceramic and crowns with a white structure such as zirconia are called metal-free.
There are also crowns that do not use internal structures and are made using computerized methods. In addition, covering a destroyed natural tooth with a ceramic crown is essential for oral health, as it will restore the patient’s chewing ability and even allow them to eat hard foods.
The advantage of the metal-free porcelain crown is that it is more aesthetic, since pure porcelain is a white material. As a result, the structure is not visible inside the crown even in brightly lit environments. The new generations of porcelain crowns are made using cad/cam methods according to computerized designs and don’t even require layers of internal reinforcement like metal and zirconia. They are made from a single (monolithic) material. These are digital, metal-free porcelain crowns whose main advantages are aesthetics and speed of production.
Translucent zirconia
Another innovative material for making a new porcelain crown is translucent zirconia, a material that is up to 10 x stronger than ordinary porcelain crowns. For this reason, they are highly recommended for the oral rehabilitation of back teeth and in patients with bruxism. Oral rehabilitation with crowns can be carried out on implants, on roots with root canal treatment and on natural teeth without root canal treatment.
Fitting dental crowns requires preparation (tooth wear) so that the crown fits correctly. The main digital technique we use is Cerec 3D, an intraoral molding system with scanners and robotic tooth production.
Before a permanent prosthesis is made, we will make a temporary prosthesis so that you don’t lose your tooth. After the rehabilitation treatment, you will be able to lead a normal life, eat hard food and clean your teeth every day with a toothbrush and dental floss. The ImplArt Clinic specializes in dental prostheses and can offer you a porcelain crown with state-of-the-art technology.
Porcelain crown: advantages and indications
Porcelain crowns are fixed dental prostheses that mimic the shape and appearance of natural teeth. When a tooth is badly damaged, it may be necessary to have root canal treatment and a porcelain crown. By Dr. Roberto Markarian, graduated dentist and specialist in dental prostheses and dental implants in São Paulo, Brazil.
What is dental porcelain?
Choosing the ideal dental prosthesis can lead to confusion when faced with a number of options. Fixed dental prostheses must meet both functional and aesthetic needs. These are the main objectives that determine the choice of the ideal material. Before choosing the material, it is first necessary to understand the differences between the types of porcelain dental crowns. The main one is the reinforcement technique, which is the part required for masticatory efforts. Understand the differences better:
Metal-ceramic crown
The porcelain dental crown is built on a metal structure. It is durable and aesthetic, and can be used on both anterior and posterior teeth. However, in some cases, it may not achieve the best aesthetic result on anterior teeth, because the dark metal inside the prosthesis can leave the crown looking darkened when subjected to intense lighting.
Porcelain crown with metal-free zirconia
This is a porcelain crown mounted on a white zirconia structure, which is therefore metal-free. It is highly durable and has excellent aesthetic results, as the white zirconia of the internal structure leaves the crown with a natural appearance very similar to the natural tooth. The porcelain crown with zirconia can also be fixed on dental implants and is completely computer-engineered and made on a 3D tooth printer. It is also an indication for people with metal allergies.
Pure porcelain crown
It has excellent aesthetic results and great resistance. The material used is lithium disilicate or feldspathic ceramic. Because this ceramic is very translucent, it is not normally suitable for use on darkened teeth or on metal posts.
Porcelain crown for natural teeth with excellent anatomy and aesthetics
How much does a porcelain crown cost?
Treatment prices can only be given after a face-to-face dental consultation. This is because the patient needs to be thoroughly assessed so that our team can understand their functional and aesthetic needs. Only then can we recommend the most appropriate treatment. In many cases, our team will offer a number of treatment options and respective outcome expectations, and the patient is free to choose.
Porcelain crowns can be made quickly in our clinic using our Day Clinic method for porcelain crowns. At the end of the porcelain crown treatment, it is important to maintain good oral hygiene by flossing daily and brushing regularly.
If you are far away, it is possible to have an online consultation, also known as a teleconsultation. This preliminary consultation takes place with our clinical director, Dr. Roberto Markarian, who will be able to make a preliminary assessment of your case and make recommendations for your treatment. This also applies to those who need dental implants, as we can plan your dental implant surgery remotely.
To improve the appearance of the teeth and correct any damage they have suffered, patients have at their disposal porcelain veneers or dental contact lenses, which are thin sheets of porcelain, customized for the patient and bonded to the front of the front teeth. They are able to change the aesthetics of the smile.
With this procedure, your smile can look more beautiful and your self-esteem can also benefit. Porcelain veneers can solve a variety of aesthetic problems in the teeth, such as stains and discoloration, chips, enamel wear, small fractures, closing gaps between teeth (diastemas), enlarging small teeth, changing the shape of teeth, among others.
What is the difference between a contact lens and a veneer?
Basically, the differences between dental lenses and veneers are their thickness, the material used and the preparation technique.
Dental veneers
Porcelain veneers
In the porcelain veneer technique, the dentist needs to:
Wear away a LARGER amount of the tooth enamel (approximately 1mm).
SILICONE molds and impression trays are made. While the permanent veneers are being prepared, the patient wears the temporary veneers.
The material used is generally common feldspathic porcelain, made using a handmade technique (more fragile).
The purpose of wearing down the teeth is to make room for the porcelain veneer and increase its thickness. Without wear, the teeth would be overcontoured, or have too much volume. In addition, the porcelain veneer might not fit so perfectly on the tooth.
Dental lenses
Dental contact lenses
In the contact lens technique, the dentist needs to:
Wear away a LESSER amount of the tooth enamel (approximately 0.3mm).
Molds are made with an INTRA ORAL SCANNER. While the permanent veneers are being prepared, the patient wears temporary lenses or a mockup. Sometimes it is not necessary to use temporary lenses because the wear does not affect the aesthetics.
The material used is generally porcelain MADE ON A COMPUTERIZED MILL (more resistant and precise).
Like any restoration, porcelain veneers need to be properly cared for and periodically reassessed. Patients should also maintain the hygiene of the tooth surfaces. We now also make ultra-thin porcelain veneers, which are dental contact lenses. The application of dental lenses requires little or no wear to the tooth structure. Find out more by clicking here.
Note that in this model the lateral incisor tooth has been worn down, i.e. prepared for the installation of the lens
