There are no official guidelines to assist in answering this question. I will search for relevant research papers instead.
From the Research
Definition and Properties of Zirconia Crowns
- Zirconia is a relatively new dental material used for indirect dental restorations, known for its outstanding mechanical properties, biocompatibility, and excellent aesthetics 1, 2.
- Zirconia crowns are a type of all-ceramic crown, popular in restorative dentistry due to their favorable fracture resistance and flexural strength properties 1, 3.
Clinical Applications and Performance
- Zirconia crowns are used to restore natural teeth and implants, with respondents choosing them more often for posterior crowns (98%) than anterior crowns (61%) 1.
- The clinical performance of zirconia crowns has been reported to be well-tolerated and sufficiently resistant, with high fracture resistance and good retention 2, 4, 5.
- Zirconia crowns have been found to be a good alternative to preformed metal crowns in terms of esthetics, retention, resistance to fracture, parent satisfaction, and gingival health, particularly in pediatric dentistry 4, 5.
Advantages and Disadvantages
- The biggest advantage of zirconia crowns is their flexural strength or fracture resistance, cited by 57% of respondents 1.
- The top disadvantages of zirconia crowns include restoration removal or replacement and shade matching and translucency, with more than 50% of respondents experiencing debonding more often with zirconia restorations compared to metal ceramic restorations 1.