Zirconia crowns
A zirconia crown is an all-ceramic crown built on zirconium oxide instead of a metal substructure, made for the 8–20 teeth visible in your smile in a VITA shade chosen in advance.
- Procedure time
- 2 appointments · 5–7 days
- Anaesthesia
- Local anaesthetic
- Recovery
- No separate healing period; temporary crowns in the meantime
- Sessions
- Preparation + try-in + cementation
- How long it lasts
- Many years with care; a night guard may be needed
How it differs from metal-backed crowns
Metal-backed crowns have a substructure that does not transmit light; as the gum recedes over time, a grey line can become visible at the margin.
A zirconia substructure is white and transmits light partially. That means an appearance closer to a natural tooth and no grey reflection at the gum margin.
The shade decision
The target shade is chosen on the VITA scale and written into your record before treatment. A1 is one of the lighter shades of natural white; B1 is a cooler white. Smile work most often uses the A1–B2 range.
The shade is decided in the mouth, in daylight, with you present. Shade decisions made from a screen or a photograph are misleading, and nothing goes into production until you have approved it at the try-in.
Tooth preparation cannot be undone
Making a crown means removing a certain thickness of tissue from around the tooth. That is irreversible; the tooth can never again be used without a crown.
So in a patient with sound teeth who only wants a change in colour, whitening and veneer options are discussed first. Cutting a healthy tooth for a crown is the last option, not the default — and if you have been quoted twenty crowns for a colour complaint, get a second opinion before you fly anywhere.
How many trips it takes
Zirconia crowns can be completed in a single trip. Set aside 5–7 days for preparation, impressions, try-in and cementation.
If preliminary work is needed — gum treatment, root canal treatment or an extraction — the time extends or a second trip is planned. That need is established by radiograph at the first examination, which is why the plan you receive from photographs is provisional.
- Days 1–2 — examination, radiographs, shade and form decisions, tooth preparation
- Days 3–5 — substructure try-in and shade check, adjustments if needed
- Days 6–7 — final try-in and permanent cementation
What decides the result
Three things decide a zirconia crown: where the preparation margin sits relative to the gum line, how the chosen VITA shade agrees with your skin and lip colour, and the way it meets the opposing jaw when you bite.
Miss one of the three and the crown is technically sound but looks artificial. That is why the try-in stage is never skipped, however tight your travel schedule is.
Who this is not for, and what not to expect
A zirconia crown solves the appearance and strength of a tooth, not its health. If the tooth or the gum underneath is diseased, the crown hides the problem rather than removing it.
A crown does not carry the light transmission of a natural tooth exactly, and its colour cannot be lightened afterwards. The shade you choose is permanent; changing it means remaking the crown.
- Untreated gum inflammation or bone loss — no crown until periodontal treatment is complete
- Uncontrolled clenching and grinding — multi-unit crown work is not recommended without planning a night guard
- A patient with sound, well-aligned teeth who only wants a colour change — whitening and veneers are assessed first
- Young patients whose jaw and teeth are still developing — the pulp chamber is large, so preparation carries a higher risk
- Unexplained toothache or apical infection — no crown work until an endodontic assessment is done
This page is general information and does not replace a clinical examination. The method, dose and timescale that apply to you are decided by a doctor after examining you.
Frequently asked questions
How many teeth should I have crowned?
Does zirconia break?
Will the colour change over time?
Can a crowned tooth still decay?
What if a crown comes off after I get home?
Pre-assessment
Describe your situation and we will answer with a measurement
Send a photograph or an X-ray. A doctor in the relevant speciality will reply with a graft range, a number of teeth or a dose range in units. If you are not suitable, we say so plainly.