It’s interesting.  With all of the advancements and technological breakthroughs in dentistry, the focus has been on esthetics and mimicking nature.  “Life-like” crowns have been the goal.

There is nothing wrong with that.  But the materials themselves will always have a drawback or “acceptable risk”.  Porcelains are layered, pressed from a solid material or milled from a block, but can chip or break.  This doesn’t always happen, but it can.

Another material that has been around for a VERY long time is gold.  A gold crown, while not “esthetic” will likely last much longer than the alternative.  Gold crowns don’t chip.  Gold crowns don’t break.  The material is biocompatible (a fancy way of saying the body won’t reject it).

So if you are wanting a restoration that will last as long as possible (nothing lasts forever), consider gold.  Some teeth are so far back that there is very little compelling reason to NOT place a gold crown.  In some areas, gold is a sign of affluence, so you might even climb a social ladder…!  (Just kidding…)

If you would like to know more, call 206-241-5533!