Dental Advice faq from Seattle Area Dentist

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My dentist is pressuring me to get a gold crown on my back upper tooth. I would prefer to get porcelain crown but he insists. The other day, he was preparing my tooth for the crown - I told him again I wanted a porcelain crown but he ignored me and prepared the tooth for a gold crown. I was upset when I found out he had ignored my request. I asked him why he ignored me and he said "because gold will last longer." He claims porcelain will crack and it only lasts a few years. Is this true? How does porcelain hold up compared to gold?

Though both porcelain and gold crowns are designed to last many years, there are a large variety of factors which influence which type of crown is best. If you tend to grind your teeth, porcelain may fracture AND wear down the opposing teeth when you bite. If you have a 'short' tooth or not much room in the location of the crown, a gold crown may be better since it can be designed without removing as much of your underlying tooth! I recommend that you tell your dentist about your concerns, as there may be more reasons for having a gold crown than your dentist has discussed with you.