"At first, I wasn't thrilled because it felt bulkier and less natural than porcelain..."
Did you find zirconia really that bulky? I've had porcelain crowns for years—yeah, chipped one or two—but my dentist reshaped my bite guard, and it's been smooth sailing since. Zirconia always sounded a bit heavy-duty to me, like putting a tank in your mouth, lol. Maybe tweaking the night guard could've saved the porcelain? Just a thought...
Did you find zirconia really that bulky?
I get what you mean about zirconia feeling a bit bulky at first—I noticed it too. But honestly, after a week or two, I barely felt the difference. Porcelain's great, but zirconia's durability won me over eventually...no more worrying about chips!
"Porcelain's great, but zirconia's durability won me over eventually...no more worrying about chips!"
I totally get the appeal of durability. When I first got my zirconia crown, I did notice it felt a tad thicker compared to my old porcelain one. Honestly though, after a few days, it wasn't something I thought about much. Maybe it's just one of those things your mouth adjusts to without you even realizing it?
Funny enough, I remember being paranoid about biting into apples or crunchy snacks with my porcelain crown—always worried I'd chip something and end up back in the dentist's chair. With zirconia, that anxiety pretty much vanished overnight. Sure, porcelain looks fantastic and all, but at this point in life, I'll happily trade a tiny bit of bulkiness for peace of mind.
One thing I will say though: everyone's mouth is different. My sister swears by porcelain and hasn't had any issues for years. Guess it just depends on your bite and habits too. But personally speaking, zirconia has definitely been worth the initial adjustment period.
I had a similar experience when my daughter needed a crown after cracking her tooth at soccer practice. The dentist initially suggested porcelain because it matched her teeth better, but knowing how active she is (and how often she forgets to be careful...), we went with zirconia instead.
Honestly, at first, she complained it felt weird—like you said, a bit thicker or bulkier—but after a week or so, she stopped mentioning it altogether. And now, almost two years later, it's still holding strong despite all the crunchy snacks and accidental bumps during games. Her friend's porcelain crown chipped within the first year, so I think we made the right call.
Still, I agree it probably depends on your habits and bite alignment. Porcelain can definitely hold up if you're careful, but for kids or anyone prone to accidents (like my daughter!), zirconia seems like the safer bet.
"Her friend's porcelain crown chipped within the first year, so I think we made the right call."
That's interesting, because my son actually had the opposite experience. He got a porcelain crown after a bike accident about three years ago, and it's still going strong despite his rough-and-tumble lifestyle. He's always munching on crunchy snacks and playing sports too, so I was initially worried we'd regret not choosing zirconia.
I do agree zirconia is generally tougher, especially for active kids. But from what our dentist explained, the longevity can also depend a lot on how well the crown fits and how carefully it's placed. Maybe your daughter's friend just had bad luck or a less-than-perfect fit?
Either way, glad your daughter's crown worked out well! It's always nerve-wracking making these dental decisions for our kids...
