I've had porcelain crowns for about five years now, and honestly, the staining hasn't been too noticeable for me either—even with my daily coffee habit (which is probably way too much, lol). My dentist did mention zirconia once, but when I saw the price difference, I almost choked on my latte. Zirconia might resist stains better, sure, but porcelain has held up pretty well considering how much abuse mine go through. Plus, a little staining makes them look more natural anyway, right? Like real teeth aren't perfectly white forever... unless you're a Hollywood celeb or something. Personally, I'd rather save the extra cash and just brush a bit more diligently. But hey, that's just me being cheap again.
I've been thinking along similar lines lately. Porcelain crowns have been pretty solid for me too, especially considering my tea habit is probably just as bad as your coffee addiction, haha. Honestly, the staining hasn't bothered me much either—like you said, it kinda blends in naturally after a while.
But one thing I'm curious about is durability over the long haul. My dentist mentioned zirconia might be tougher against chipping or cracking compared to porcelain. Has anyone here had porcelain crowns longer than five or ten years? Did they hold up okay structurally, or did you notice any issues like small cracks or chips developing over time?
I mean, I totally get the cost factor—zirconia prices made my wallet cry a little too—but if porcelain crowns start breaking down after a certain point, maybe zirconia could save money in the long run? Or maybe that's just wishful thinking from someone who hates surprise dental bills...
Anyway, I'm interested to hear if anyone's had porcelain crowns for a really long stretch and how they've held up structurally. Stains aside, do they still feel strong and stable after many years of daily wear and tear?
