I hear you on the popcorn kernel—my porcelain crown didn’t stand a chance against a rogue pistachio shell. Honestly, I do kind of miss how it blended in, but at this point, I’d rather chew without worrying. I tried being careful, but snacks always win.
I tried being careful, but snacks always win.
That line cracked me up—snacks really do have a vendetta against dental work. I had a similar run-in with a caramel popcorn kernel that sent my old porcelain crown on its final journey. I was so careful for years, but one movie night and boom, back in the dentist’s chair.
I switched to zirconia for the replacement, mostly because my dentist said it was “nearly indestructible.” It’s definitely tougher—no chips or cracks so far, even after a few questionable snack choices. The downside is, it’s not quite as invisible as my porcelain one was. I catch myself checking it in the mirror sometimes, especially in certain lighting.
Honestly, I’d rather have a crown that survives my snacking habits. The anxiety of biting down on the wrong thing was getting old. Still, I get missing that seamless look. It’s a trade-off: peace of mind vs. perfect aesthetics. For me, chewing without fear wins, but I totally get why someone would prefer the more natural look of porcelain, even if it’s a bit riskier.
Reading this honestly makes me feel a bit less ridiculous about my own snack paranoia. I’m about to get my first crown and I keep worrying I’ll break it on, like, a stray potato chip or something. The “nearly indestructible” zirconia sounds tempting, but I’m a little hung up on the idea of it not blending in as well. Did you notice the difference right away, or is it more of a “you know it’s there so you see it” thing? I can’t decide if peace of mind is worth that little trade-off…
My kiddo had to get a zirconia crown last year (back molar). At first, I could tell it was there—looked a bit brighter than the rest. But honestly, after a couple weeks, I stopped noticing unless I was really looking for it. She snacks like crazy and hasn’t had a single issue with it breaking or coming loose. For us, the peace of mind was worth that tiny color difference, especially since it’s in the back. If it was a front tooth, I might feel differently...
For us, the peace of mind was worth that tiny color difference, especially since it’s in the back. If it was a front tooth, I might feel differently...
Totally get what you mean about the peace of mind. I’ve had both zirconia and porcelain crowns (molars and a front tooth), and honestly, my zirconia one’s been rock solid for years—no chips, nothing. My porcelain crown on a front tooth looks more natural but chipped after a couple of years. Has anyone else had porcelain crack? I feel like zirconia just handles the chewing way better, especially for kids or anyone who snacks a lot.
