When getting a crown on a back tooth, there are three popular options: gold, porcelain-fused-to-metal, and all porcelain. However, before making this decision, it is important that you understand the pros and cons of each. Gold crowns, which classically are most like normal tooth enamel in the way they wear and closely adapt to tooth structure, have been around for over 100 years and may last upwards of 50+ years. For this reason, many dentists prefer them for their own teeth. On the other hand, all porcelain crowns have been around for about 25 years and have an incredible life-like appearance. Unfortunately, they lack the strength of natural teeth and tend to wear the natural teeth against which they bite. While porcelain-fused-to-metal crowns (gold or platinum) have been around for 40 years trying to capture the best of both worlds, they rarely do. However, some of the newer porcelain materials are showing great promise.

Discover which type is right for you in Gold or Porcelain Crowns