"She's young and not exactly gentle on her teeth (think popcorn kernels and ice cubes...), so durability was a big deal."
Haha, this totally reminds me of myself. I'm an anxious dental patient too, and when I needed my first crown, durability was my main concern. Went back and forth between porcelain and zirconia but eventually chose zirconia after hearing similar stories. It's been about two years now, and honestly, zero regrets. Feels solid, no chips or issues at all—even survived my accidental run-in with hard candy last Halloween...
Totally get where you're coming from about being anxious with dental stuff—I used to dread every appointment myself. Your Halloween candy story cracked me up, sounds exactly like something I'd do! I've had zirconia for around 3 years now, and even though I'm guilty of crunching ice cubes too (bad habit, I know...), it's held up great. Honestly, choosing durability really helped ease my anxiety about future dental visits. Glad yours is working out so well too.
"I've had zirconia for around 3 years now, and even though I'm guilty of crunching ice cubes too (bad habit, I know...), it's held up great."
Haha, glad I'm not the only one guilty of the ice cube crunching thing... dentists everywhere probably cringe at us. I've had porcelain crowns myself for about five years now, and they've held up pretty well overall. But to be fair, I don't really push my luck chewing on ice or hard candies anymore—learned my lesson after cracking a crown on popcorn kernels once (yeah, popcorn... embarrassing).
From what I've heard, zirconia is tougher in terms of durability and less prone to chipping compared to porcelain. Porcelain tends to look a bit more natural though, especially if you're getting work done on front teeth. My dentist recommended porcelain for aesthetic reasons since mine were visible when smiling. But honestly, if I had to do it again, I'd probably lean towards zirconia just for peace of mind.
Curious though—has anyone here noticed any difference in sensitivity or comfort between zirconia and porcelain crowns? Mine felt a little sensitive at first but settled down after a few weeks. Wondering if material choice affects that experience much.
I get the appeal of zirconia for durability, but honestly, porcelain has surprised me. I've had a porcelain crown for about 7 years now, and it's survived some pretty questionable snack choices (hello, peanut brittle...). I know everyone says zirconia is tougher, but mine hasn't chipped or cracked yet—knock on wood.
Comfort-wise though...I did notice a bit of sensitivity at first too, but nothing major. It settled in after a week or two. A friend of mine who got zirconia mentioned hers felt bulkier initially, like it took more getting used to compared to porcelain. She eventually adjusted, but it's something to consider if you're sensitive to slight changes in bite feel.
And funny enough, my dentist actually said the opposite about aesthetics—he thought zirconia looked just as natural these days. Maybe that's improved recently? Either way, I'm sticking with porcelain until this one gives out...budget life and all that, haha.
"I've had a porcelain crown for about 7 years now, and it's survived some pretty questionable snack choices (hello, peanut brittle...)."
This is reassuring to hear. I'm getting my first crown soon and have been stressing over zirconia vs porcelain. The bulkiness you mentioned worries me a bit—I notice even tiny changes in my bite. Good to know the sensitivity settled down quickly for you though. Fingers crossed mine goes as smoothly as yours did...
