We went through this exact thing with my son last year. Our dentist actually recommended zirconia for his back molar, mainly because it’s supposed to be really tough—like, less likely to crack if he’s chomping on something hard. I asked about chewing gum too (he’s obsessed), and they said it should be fine, but maybe avoid the super sticky stuff for a bit just in case.
As for sensitivity, he complained a little the first week—said cold water felt weird—but honestly, that faded pretty quick. I was more worried about the fit and whether he’d mess with it, but he got used to it faster than I expected. The dentist mentioned zirconia is biocompatible and doesn’t have metal, so fewer issues with allergies or weird tastes.
I’ve also heard mixed things about porcelain being more likely to chip, especially in kids who are rough on their teeth. But some people swear by it for looks. For us, durability won out since it’s a molar and not a front tooth.
Hope that helps... It’s nerve-wracking making these choices for your kid!
I completely relate to the stress of picking the right crown material, especially for kids. I went with zirconia for my own molar after a long debate. The dentist said something similar to what you mentioned—
That was a big factor for me since I’ve had weird reactions to metals before. I will say, the look of porcelain is hard to beat on front teeth, but for molars, I’d pick durability every time. Haven’t had any chipping or cracking issues so far, even with my not-so-great chewing habits.“zirconia is biocompatible and doesn’t have metal, so fewer issues with allergies or weird tastes.”
I get why zirconia’s so popular for molars, but I still worry about how “hard” it is compared to natural teeth. My dentist mentioned it can wear down the tooth it bites against over time, especially if you grind your teeth at night. That made me second-guess a bit... anyone else run into that? I ended up with porcelain-fused-to-metal on one side just because I was anxious about that issue, even though it’s not as pretty. No regrets yet, but I do check for chips every few months—probably overthinking it, but dental stuff stresses me out.
I totally get the stress about dental stuff—every time I go in for a checkup, I’m half-expecting bad news about my crowns. I had a similar debate with myself last year. My dentist was all for zirconia on my back molar because of its strength, but I’d read some stories about it being so hard it could wear down the tooth above. I grind my teeth at night too, so that just added to my anxiety.
I ended up with a porcelain-fused-to-metal crown on one side and a zirconia on the other, just to see if I’d notice any difference. It’s been almost two years now. The zirconia hasn’t chipped or anything, but sometimes I wonder if it feels just a bit “off”—like it doesn’t quite have the same give as my natural teeth. The PFM looks less natural, but honestly, I don’t notice unless I’m really looking for it in the mirror.
Has anyone actually seen wear on their opposing teeth from zirconia? Or is this more of a theoretical risk dentists mention? Sometimes I feel like I’m overthinking it, but then again… dental work is expensive and permanent, so it’s hard not to worry.
Has anyone actually seen wear on their opposing teeth from zirconia? Or is this more of a theoretical risk dentists mention?
I’ve actually wondered about this too, especially since my dentist kept warning me about “super hard” crowns. I’ve had a zirconia crown on my lower molar for about five years now. I grind my teeth at night (mouthguard helps, but I’m not perfect about wearing it), and honestly, I haven’t noticed any extra wear on the tooth above. My dentist checks every time and says things look fine. Maybe it’s different if you have a really heavy bite or skip the night guard, but in my case, it seems more like a “possible but rare” thing.
I do agree with you on the feel—zirconia just isn’t quite like natural tooth. It’s not bad, just… different, like you said. But durability-wise, mine’s holding up better than the old PFM on the other side, which already has a tiny chip in the porcelain. If I had to pick again, I’d probably still go zirconia for the back teeth, just for peace of mind. Dental work is expensive, and redoing it is even worse.
