Porcelain Crown vs. Empress Crown. What's the pros & cons ? Costs ?

Question

I am thinking of doing crown for my front teeth (top). However, I am lost over which is a better option...i.e. Porcelain Crown vs. Empress Crown. What's the pros & cons ? Costs ?Is it true that veneers can create alot of problems vs. crown ? I noticed that most dentists in Singapore would prefer to do crown instead of veneer.

Answer 1

I could be wrong about this but i think the difference between the porcelain and the empress is that empress has no metal in it so it is cosmetically pleasing on the front teeth but it is also not as strong as a traditional porcelain fused to metal crown. The PFM crowns can look fantastic on the front teeth if done well and are a bit cheaper. Veneers are a good option for front teeth if the teeth are stable and you are doing it for cosmetic reasons, you also don't loose as much natural tooth structure with a veneer, with a crown you loose a significant amount of natural tooth.

Answer 2

The differences between crowns are largely technical, and a well-made crown from any material will look good and function well. It might also depend on why you need a crown - are you strenthening a broken tooth, or covering up a discolouration? For a single crown at the front, I would tend to use a non-metal base crown like Empress 2 or Lava where you are strengthening a previously broken tooth and want some natural translucency; for a discoloured tooth, a metal-based crown (porcelain-fused-to gold) will tend to be better. If choosing the latter, make sure ask for and get a high gold metal base (min. 85%). Cheaper metals will make for a greyer result and the porcelain will not adhere as well.
I believe that there is no advantage in veneers over crowns for most patients, based on appearance, risks, and longevity. The concept of less tooth removal for a veneer than a crown was a nice idea, but I believe it is compensated by a greater increase in likely problems e.g. too thick, fractures,post-op sensitivity.

Answer 3

I have driven a 99 Crown Victoria retired police edition and I still once in a while drive a 94 Honda Accord. I like both. And I own a 77 Impala. All to me are good cars. Yes the Honda has to have it timeing belt quite often but if you can change it and don't mind doing so that alone will save money. I have and do bash the 80's american cars. How many of them do you still see on the road to day? To me those were poorly made cars. Their are hardly any left on the road today, only the collectables for the most part. 90's and newer are great cars no matter who makes them as long as each owner will keep up the maintenance up on the car. Though my old Impala has 69K total mileage and does not get 20 mpg on the hwy it is a simple car with easy to buy parts. I cannot save enough money in a years time to make 3 car payments for a 2 year-old Honda. For me there is no savings by buying another car. My biggest complaint about the 80's american cars is that their engines seldomly lasted over 175K and that was if it was not a V-6 which most could not go to 120K before tossing a rod which was usually cylinder 6's rod that got thrown. Enjoy your Crown Victoria it will serve you a long time. As Ford Girl said just keep up the maintenance at the proper times.

Answer 4

Above answers are correct. Empress is a brand of all-porcelain crown and is an excellent choice for a front tooth, when done correctly and "cemented" in with the right kind of material. I just chose Empress for 6 crowns on my assistant's front teeth. Well, after seeing me poace them for 10-12 years, she said, "That's the kind I want," and I agreed with her.

As to a choice between veneers or crowns, it all depends on what general condition your teeth are in in the first place, but we can not possibly evaluate that over the internet.

Answer 5

Empress Crown

Answer 6

Don't bother about that. They are both 'porcelain' crowns of different types. Neither one is a PFM (porcelain fused to metal) crown. The choice is more a technical issue and depends mostly of dentist preferences and experience.

Answer 7

It's always best to keep as much of your natural tooth as possible. Go for the veneers. If you take care of your teeth the veneers won't cause you a moments trouble.