PFM crown dental Lab from China
Porcelain Infused Metal Crown
PFM dental means Porcelain Infused Metal (or Porcelain Fused to Metal). A PFM crown consists of a metal base and a porcelain coating. This makes it almost as durable as a pure metal crown, but more beautiful.
For a long time, porcelain crowns have been the most popular crowns in the dental industry. It is still in use, but all-ceramic crowns such as zirconia crowns and E.max crowns are now becoming the first choice, especially for front teeth. PFM crowns are more affordable than all-ceramic crowns. Therefore, even if they are not as beautiful as all-ceramic crowns, they are still good candidates for dental restorations.
Featured Porcelain Metal Crowns
Non precious PFM Crowns
Nickle-chrome and Cobalt-chrome are 2 types of non-precious metal used for non-precious PFM crowns. In Robust dental, we only use cobalt-chrome metal for all non-precious PFM crowns. A non-precious PFM crown is the most cost-effective among crowns with porcelain. However, a lot of people are allergic to the non-precious metal.
Semi-precious PFM Crowns
A semi-precious PFM crown contains a certain amount of precious alloy. Looking from outside, we cannot tell the difference between a semi-precious PFM crown and a non-precious PFM crown, but patients who are allergic to non-precious metal will choose it. Actually, more and more people nowadays will go for all-ceramic dental crowns.
Porcelain Fused to High Noble Metal
A porcelain fused to high noble crown contains high percentage of precious alloy. It is the most biocompatibility among all PFM crowns, so people who are allergic to non-precious metal can be comfortable with it. Also, many peopel are attracted by its yellow-colored metal base.
Robust PFM Dental Crown Specification
| Product: | PFM crowns/ Bridges |
| PFM metal (Co-Cr): | JinYuan/ Audental from China (FDA/ CE certified) |
| Semi-precious PFM metal (Pt20.0%): | Argen from USA |
| Precious PFM alloy metal (Au74%): | Audental from China (FDA/ CE certified) |
| PFM Ceramic: | IPS Opaque Dentin, IPS CLASSIC, Ivoclar from Liechtenstein |
| Way of manufacturing: | Laser printing/ Casting |
| Design software: | 3Shape |
| Our scanning device: | 3Shape |
PFM Crown Material & Equipment
Porcelain Infused Metal Crown– Definitive Guide
1. Advantages of PFM Crowns
At present, a PFM crown is still very common. Here are the main reasons why people like to choose porcelain crowns.
- Sturdy and durable — Dentists have used Porcelain and Metal Crown for more than 35 years. The underlying metal makes the crown strong and stable.
- Relatively natural looking — The porcelain coating resembles the color and translucency of natural teeth, providing good aesthetics. (Translucency is the phenomenon of light partially passing through an object. Your natural teeth have a certain degree of translucency). Therefore, many people choose front tooth porcelain fused to metal crown.
- Versatility — PFM can be can be crowns and long bridges, providing stability and support to replace missing teeth. Besides, combining the strength of metal with the aesthetics of porcelain, PFM crowns can be used in various dental situations such as dental attachments.
2. Disadvantages of PFM crowns
While porcelain-fused-to-metal (PFM) crowns have their benefits, they also come with some disadvantages.
- Aesthetics — While the porcelain layer provides better aesthetics than metal crowns, PFM crowns cannot compete with all-ceramic crowns in terms of translucency. Also, a dark line may appear near the gumline over time, due to the metal substructure, which can affect the overall appearance.
- Potential for Chipping — The porcelain layer of PFM crowns can chip or fracture, especially if the underlying metal structure is thin or if there’s excessive force applied.
- Gum Irritation — In some cases, the metal substructure might lead to gum irritation or allergic reactions in patients sensitive to metal alloys.
3. Captek: a high-quality PFM crown
Captek combines a high noble metal alloy (primarily gold) with a unique technology involving a substructure of high-gold content and a high-density polymer matrix. This combination aims to provide the strength of metal with the aesthetics of natural teeth.
Captek crowns are known for their biocompatibility, strength, and ability to transmit light similarly to natural teeth, resulting in a more natural appearance. They’re used in various dental applications, offering both durability and esthetics. However, their cost can be higher compared to traditional metal or porcelain-fused-to-metal (PFM) crowns due to the materials and technology involved in their fabrication.