I’m right there with you on the anxiety front. I had a porcelain crown on one of my upper molars for a few years, and while it did look pretty natural, I was always low-key nervous about biting into anything too hard—like, even popcorn kernels made me pause. Ended up cracking a bit at the edge after a couple years (probably my own fault for chewing ice... old habits die hard).
Switched to zirconia for my next one and honestly, it’s just less stressful. It doesn’t blend in quite as perfectly, but I’d rather have something that can take a beating than be back in the chair for another fix. My dentist said zirconia holds up better if you grind your teeth or clench at night, which is definitely me. Haven’t noticed any sensitivity issues either, which was a relief because I was half-expecting some.
I do sometimes miss the way porcelain looked under certain light, but I’ll take peace of mind over perfect aesthetics any day. The whole thing really comes down to what matters more to you—looks or durability. For me, not worrying every time I eat something crunchy is worth it.
I hear you on the anxiety—crowns always make me nervous too. Had porcelain chip on me twice, and both times I was just eating toast. Switched to zirconia last year and honestly, it’s been a relief not tiptoeing around crunchy foods. I do miss how natural porcelain looked, but at this point, I’d rather not deal with another repair. Durability wins for me, even if it’s not perfect in every light.
Porcelain looked great on my front tooth, but I chipped it biting into a sandwich of all things—twice. Switched to zirconia for my molars after that. It’s not quite as see-through, but I haven’t had a single issue since. For back teeth, I’d pick zirconia every time.
Porcelain looked great on my front tooth, but I chipped it biting into a sandwich of all things—twice.
That’s wild—I chipped a porcelain crown on a piece of bread once, and I remember thinking, “Really? Bread?” Here’s how it played out for me: step one, I loved how natural the porcelain looked, especially up front. Step two, it didn’t hold up to my daily chewing (and I’m not exactly gnawing on jawbreakers). Step three, dentist recommended zirconia for the molars. Not as translucent, but way tougher. Haven’t had a single crack since. For front teeth, I still prefer the look of porcelain, but for anything that does the heavy lifting? Zirconia’s been bulletproof in my mouth.
For front teeth, I still prefer the look of porcelain, but for anything that does the heavy lifting? Zirconia’s been bulletproof in my mouth.
Funny, I had almost the opposite experience. My zirconia crown on a molar felt solid, but it never quite matched my natural teeth and always felt a bit bulky. No chips though, which is more than I can say for the porcelain one up front—cracked it eating a salad. I guess it comes down to what matters more: looks or durability. Still haven’t found the perfect combo myself...
