Totally relate to the sensitivity thing. My porcelain crowns always made me cringe with ice cream or hot coffee, but zirconia's been way easier on me. Still miss how natural porcelain felt though... trade-offs, I guess.
Totally get what you're saying about porcelain feeling more natural... zirconia can sometimes feel a bit like having a tiny rock in your mouth, lol. But honestly, durability-wise, zirconia's been a champ for me. Had porcelain before and chipped one biting into a granola bar (seriously, who does that?). Zirconia's held up way better—no chips yet, knock on wood. Guess it's all about picking your battles: comfort vs. toughness.
"Had porcelain before and chipped one biting into a granola bar (seriously, who does that?)."
Haha, guilty as charged... I once cracked a porcelain crown on a piece of popcorn—like, not even the kernel, just regular fluffy popcorn. Felt like the universe was trolling me. Zirconia sounds tempting durability-wise, but does anyone notice if it stains or discolors over time? I've heard mixed things about coffee and tea staining zirconia crowns, and giving up my morning coffee isn't exactly an option...
I've had zirconia crowns for a few years now, and honestly, staining hasn't been an issue at all—even with my daily coffee habit. But I will say, they're not completely bulletproof either. Managed to chip one slightly on a fork (don't ask...), so durability might depend more on luck than material sometimes. Still beats porcelain though; popcorn incidents are way too relatable, haha.
I've noticed zirconia crowns hold up pretty well against staining too, even with tea—though I do worry about chipping. Had a patient chip theirs biting into a granola bar...makes me cautious every snack break now. Still, porcelain seems more fragile overall.
