YOUR SOURCE FOR ALL CROWN TYPES

As a full-service dental lab, Robust has the capabilities to create any crown that suits your patients’ needs best, including cobalt-chrome and semi-precious PFM crowns and bridges.

For five or fewer units, expect a four-day turnaround. For six or more units, expect a five-day turnaround. For a full mouth, expect an eight-day turnaround.

Find out why 95% of the dentists who work with us stay with us for the long term. New dental offices are welcome to call us or fill out the new customer form by clicking on the green button at the top of the page.


PFM CROWN SPECIFICATIONS

PRODUCT

- Non-precious (cobalt-chrome) and semi-precious PFM crowns and bridges

- Porcelain fused to high noble metal

MATERIALS

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-approved and CE-certified)

PFM Ceramic: IPS Opaque Dentin, IPS CLASSIC, Ivoclar from Liechtenstein

TURNAROUND

4-8 days

WARRANTY

5 years

PORCELAIN METAL CROWNS FROM ROBUST

Nickel Base Alloy

         Non-Precious PFM Crowns

Nickle-chrome and Cobalt-chrome are two types of non-precious metal used for non-precious PFM crowns. At 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.

Cobalt-Chromium Alloy

Semi-Precious PFM Crowns

A semi-precious PFM crown contains a certain amount of precious alloy. Looking from the outside, we cannot tell the difference between a semi-precious PFM crown and a non-precious PFM crown. It is recommended for patients who are allergic to non-precious metals. Most people choose all-ceramic dental crowns.

Semi-precious or High Noble Alloy

Porcelain Fused to High Noble Metal

A porcelain fused to high noble crown contains a high percentage of precious alloy. It has the most biocompatibility among all PFM crowns, so people who are allergic to non-precious metal can be comfortable with it.

PORCELAIN INFUSED METAL CROWN FAQs

PFM stands for porcelain-infused metal (or porcelain fused to metal). A PFM crown consists of a metal base and a porcelain coating. This combination makes it durable and natural looking.

For a long time, porcelain crowns have been the most popular crowns in dentistry. 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.

At Robust Dental Lab, creating a PFM crown involves a combination of traditional dental techniques and modern technologies to ensure accurate fitting, durability, and aesthetic appeal. It includes digital dental model printing, CAD CAM, laser printing, metal trimming, opaque applying, porcelain building, contouring, and glazing.

The manufacturing process of a PFM crown is more complex than that of all ceramic crowns. The Robust team never skips any steps during production to ensure the longevity and aesthetics of the crown.

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.

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.

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.

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