Zirconia

Zirconia is a ceramic, not a metal. It is white, so it can be shaded to look like a tooth. A review in the NIH library calls it a material of choice in contemporary restorative dentistry and notes its toughness, strength, and resistance to wear. Labs often cut a zirconia crown from a solid block with a milling machine, using a digital scan of your tooth. Because it is so hard, your dentist checks your bite so it does not wear the teeth that meet it. Zirconia is one of several choices. Others include lithium disilicate and porcelain. See our dental crown page.