zirconia crowns Archives | Williams Family Dentistry

Burning Mouth Syndrome or Zirconia Allergy

Posted on April 30, 2025 by writeradmin.

I had a zirconia crown placed. Not only was the appointment itself a bit of a nightmare, but ever since the appointment I have had burning in my mouth. It reminded me a bit of when I was on chemo, only without the sores. My dentist said there are no allergies to zirconia so he doesn’t believe that is the problem. I’ve been to two different ENTs. The first one ruled out acid reflux, but could not figure out what was going on. The second one thought it might be burning mouth syndrome, but said we don’t know the cause of it. Is it possible they’re all wrong and this really is an allergy? I need more dental work, but am terrified to move forward without knowing what the cause of this problem is.

Evelyn

Dear Evelyn,

I don’t think it is wise of your dentist to say there are no zirconia allergies. The human body is very unique and even when something is very biocompatible, like zirconia, there could always be someone whose body doesn’t deal well with it. There was a dentist who wrote about some zirconia allergies, but while he posted about it, there is no documentation on the case itself. This makes me wonder if it is just something he heard about instead of witnessed.

You could go to an allergist to get checked for a zirconia allergy, but I am leaning toward agreeing with the second ENT that you are dealing with burning mouth syndrome. While it has been said there is no known cause for this, there have been clear signs that it is related to dental anxiety. Many patients who’ve experienced these symptoms also documented either having dental anxiety to begin with or a traumatic dental appointment that led to the anxiety. As you’d mentioned a traumatic appointment, this makes me think that would be the most likely cause for you.

The good news is that there is a solution to this. My suggestion is that you avail yourself of dental sedation for your needed dental work. I think your anxiety is going to be too high for simply using nitrous oxide. Instead, I’d like you to use oral conscious sedation. If your dentist does not offer that, then I would switch to someone who does.

You have needed dental work and you don’t want to end up with a dental emergency because of your past experiences. Using oral conscious sedation will relax you enough that you could even sleep through the appointment if you wanted to. It can completely change your life.

This blog is brought to you by Lexington, KY Dentist Dr. James E. Williams.

Dentist Wants to Wait for My Nerves to Settle Down to Help

Posted on September 30, 2021 by writeradmin.

I had three dental crowns placed and they have been irritating me ever since. They are pressing on my gums and feel bulky. I recently read that porcelain fused to metal crowns can cause problems. These are the type she placed for me. Plus, I really want to go metal-free. However, when I asked her to remove and replace them with zirconia crowns she said she needed to wait until my nerves have calmed down. Is this really necessary?

Candace

Dear Candance,

Your dentist is really struggling with her field. There is no reason to wait until your nerves calm down to resolve this. The pressing of the crowns on your gums is what is irritating the nerves. Waiting only prolongs that. Removing the crowns, relieves that. I don’t think the fact that your crown is a porcelain fused to metal crown is the actual problem here. When a crown is fitted properly, you do not notice it is there at all. It’s just like another tooth. What the metal base will do is cause the crown to be more opaque, which lessens its natural look. Additionally, at some point down the line, you will develop an ugly gray line at your gumline. So, switching them out is a good idea.

If this is a front tooth, all-porcelain or zirconia crowns will work. If it is a back tooth, you will really need the zirconia for it to be strong enough to withstand your biting forces. It may be the zirconia that frightens her. This is a newer type of material to work with than she may be used to. My suggestion is go to another dentist to get this done. If you are wanting to go metal-free, I’d look for a holistic dentist.

This blog is brought to you by Lexington, KY Dentist Dr. John Weaver.

Am I Allergic to the Metal in this Crown?

Posted on October 31, 2019 by writeradmin.

I’ve been having a crown placed over the last 5-6 weeks. Since it’s been placed, I’ve had some problems with what I feel are allergy symptoms including dry mouth, tingling and numbness on the side of my mouth which has the crown, as well as a burning tongue on that same side. I wondered if I was allergic to the metal in the crown but he said, even if I was you can’t place all-porcelain crowns on back teeth. I spoke with my dentist and he said there aren’t enough allergy symptoms to indicate I’m allergic to anything. My next step was to go to my doctor and have blood work done. He doesn’t see anything bacterial or viral which could be the source of my symptoms. I just need some advice. What do I do?

Melissa

Dear Melissa,

There is a growting availability of metal free dental care.

I’m curious about your dentist’s statement that you haven’t had enough allergy symptoms. Was he waiting for you to go into anaphylactic shock before he took you seriously? There are varying degrees of allergies, just because you don’t have the most severe form doesn’t mean you’re not allergic to something.

You have enough symptoms where it would be worth investigating. If your medical insurance will cover you seeing an allergist, that’s the first thing I’d do. This could help you figure out if it could be a metal allergy or maybe an allergy to the bonding agent, etc.

Metal-Free Dental Care

While your dentist is technically correct that all-porcelain crowns aren’t strong enough to handle the biting forces of your back teeth, there are other metal-free dental materials that are strong enough. Many dentists are now offering metal-free options, using zirconia now. Zirconia is so strong, it is has been dubbed ceramic steel. This is definitely strong enough to be placed on your back teeth.

They also make them in dental implants as well as a dental bridge. If it does turn out you have a metal sensitivity, then you could look for a dentist who already works in these materials. Whatever you do, don’t let your dentist make you feel like you’re being difficult. This is your health you’re talking about.

This blog is brought to you by Lexington, KY Dentist Dr. John Weaver.