When ceramic chips: does it mean the crown was poorly made?

When patients get new ceramic crowns, it is completely understandable that they expect them to be strong, long-lasting and look good for years.

That is why many people worry when, after some time, they notice that a small piece of ceramic has chipped off a crown.

Their first question is often: “Does this mean the crown was poorly made?”

Not necessarily.

Ceramic damage, also known as chipping, can occur even in high-quality, carefully planned and professionally made dental restorations. A fracture or chip in the ceramic is not automatically evidence of an error by the dentist or dental technician.

Why does ceramic chip or fracture?

Crowns bear loads every day during chewing. Different forces act on them, and in some people these forces can be considerably stronger.

Teeth grinding and clenching, a very strong bite, certain habits, biting hard objects or simply a heavy load concentrated on one area can damage the ceramic.

Sometimes the damage occurs after an impact or trauma.

At other times, a small piece of ceramic simply chips off after a longer period of use, without any single event that the patient can identify as the cause.

It is therefore important to understand that even the best material is not indestructible.

What about Prettau crowns?

Prettau zirconia crowns are known for their high strength and are used precisely because they offer an excellent combination of function and aesthetics.

Nevertheless, a Prettau crown is not indestructible either.

It is important to distinguish minor surface damage from a fracture of the crown structure itself. These are different situations and do not always require the same solution.

After any damage, we therefore assess exactly what happened and how extensive the damage is.

Is the dentist or dental technician to blame?

This may be the most important thing patients should know: if ceramic chips, that alone does not mean someone made a mistake.

A restoration can be made according to all professional standards, precisely planned and produced from high-quality material, and still develop damage after some time.

Of course, various factors can affect how long a restoration lasts. That is exactly why every case needs to be assessed individually.

But it is not right to automatically attribute every ceramic fracture to poor workmanship.

What if it does happen?

If you notice that a piece of ceramic has broken off, there is no reason to worry.

The most important thing is to contact us and come in for an examination. We can then assess exactly what happened and which solution is best.

Sometimes simply smoothing and polishing the area is enough. In certain situations a repair is possible, while more extensive damage may require a new crown.

What matters is that you are not alone when something like this happens.

At Elite Dent, we stand behind our work and provide our patients with a warranty on prosthetic restorations. There is therefore no need for patients to draw conclusions on their own, worry that “something went wrong” or wonder who is to blame.

Come in so we can examine the restoration, establish what happened and find the best solution together.

For us, a warranty is more than a word you receive at the end of treatment. It means taking responsibility for our work and being there for our patients after their treatment is complete.

Finding the cause matters more than assigning blame

When chipping occurs, the aim is not to immediately decide who is at fault. The aim is to establish what happened and how to prevent the problem from happening again.

• Is there strong teeth clenching?
• Is a particular tooth bearing too much load?
• Has there been trauma?
• Is an adjustment needed?

Only after an examination can we reach the right conclusion.

A high-quality restoration requires careful planning, a suitable choice of material, precise fabrication and checks of its function.

Even then, the mouth is exposed to many different forces and loads over the years.

A small piece of ceramic breaking off should therefore not immediately be seen as treatment failure. Sometimes it is simply a complication that can also occur with high-quality work.

Most importantly, when you choose a practice you trust, you know that even in this situation you have someone to turn to.

We stand behind our work. If you notice any damage, contact us – together we will assess the situation and find the best solution.