What non-metal crowns are available on NHS ?

PopcornUK

I am talking a front tooth, visible. I know that a composite resin one is, as I had one, but what other non-metal crowns do the NHS do, if any ? I have read the info on their website, but it doesn't go in to detail. Do I presume the porcelain and ceramic ones are always fused to metal ? My composite crown lasted 4 days, by eating just a typical meal, so if it can go that easy I might want to try something else. Main reason I chose composite is because I need to keep metal out of my mouth due to having multiple MRI scans soon, and I don't want to mess up the image as any metal can effect with the scan results.

Below is what the NHS website says.............

alloys (mix of metals) containing not less than a third of fine gold, platinum, or palladium
alloys containing stainless steel, cobalt chromium or nickel chromium
porcelain
porcelain bonded to precious metals
alloys bonded to wrought platinum coping
ceramic
glass
gold alloy crowns

Toothsmith

Have you been told this by the radiologist?

Many people have lots of metal in their mouths. The metals are non ferrous, and therefore shouldn't mess up a Magnetic Resonance Image.

The lack of clarity on what is available and what isn't is a huge problem for dentists trying to work in that system too. It is completely deliberate though, so that the Government can basically say 'everything' is available, when practically, it isn't.

There should be non-metallic options for an anterior tooth - but be guided by your dentist and only base choices on what you have been told directly by people treating you. Not Dr Google

PopcornUK

Thanks for your advice, always good to hear from a dentist. Are you 100% sure the metal in the NHS crowns is non-ferrous ? There is very conflicting information online. I know they are safe to have in the scanner, but it is the artifacts on the images that is more an issue. Supposedly it will make some areas of the scans "blurry and distorted", which is what radiologists have said. I will be MRI scanned for TMJ so need to make sure the jaw and mouth area are clear. This is why in the end I opted for the fully composite one which the NHS did supply, but had problems as mentioned at bottom of this message.

But regarding metal ones, it is very conflicting as power of scanner can also make a difference. Here is some info from the Pre-Scan FAQ.......

"Do dental implants and metal crown implants causing any problems?

Having implants and/or crowns in your teeth is not a problem for the MRI examination. The MRI images of your mouth/cheeks could become a bit blurry, but it will not affect the examination."

To me that is conflicting, the mouth and cheeks could become a bit blurry, if scanning for TMJ surely this is important. I will also have a brain scan and not sure if it will degrade the images in any way. Other information is even harsher and says it can cause mass distortions, and other websites say no big deal. This isn't just forum members, but MRI scan websites FAQ's.

Here is another one.............

Some materials create such strong distortion that they might prevent good imaging even if they’re far from the area of interest. These include:

Stainless steel orthodontic material
Cobalt-chromium
If you have these materials, MRI may not be a good imaging option for you.

I think some more premium materials are non ferrous, like titanium, but I would be shocked if the PFM type crown on the NHS is non ferrous. Unless of course the NHS have told you it is non ferrous, then great.

What is your view on composite crown for a second to front tooth ? as I say, mine came off within 4 days when eating a fairly soft meal of boneless chicken and chips, didn't even realise, must have swallowed it. I presume even a composite one should cope with more than that ?

Toothsmith

I can't get into 'what's my opinion on....' because I cannot see you, and I have no idea of the other issues within your mouth, and so making any comment on treatments suitable or not for you is not my place. Take your dentist's advice on that - but you want something that will last, as every time something needs doing or replacing, it will degrade the tooth just that little bit more. I'm sure a metal free crown will be possible - but have that because it is the best crown for the job - not for any perceived benefit to your future scan.

There are no dental alloys containing iron - so all dental alloys are non-ferrous.

There are instances where stainless steel crowns are made - most notably they are put over baby teeth in kids. Stainless steel crowns are rarely made for adults - and noone would suggest a stainless steel crown for a front tooth outside of Soviet Russia or the poorest ghettos of very backwards countries.

I think you are getting more worried about image clarity than anyone treating you will do. There is nothing that they're looking for that will need 4K HD type clarity. If something is wrong or abnormal, it will still look wrong & abnormal even with a little bit of distortion. They can then take the treatment from there to find out more about whatever it is.

If all is normal, then it will look normal.

If you have other metal in your mouth, then noone would suggest having that removed for the scan, and if this tooth is the only bit of metal that would be in your mouth (if a metal containing crown is prescribed) then it's effects would be so small as to be of no consequence.

Good luck with the investigations.

Toothsmith

BTW - what metal is in a crown isn't really down to 'the NHS' it's down to the dentist and the laboratory he uses. There is no supply of 'NHS' metal to be used in crowns. So asking your dentist to get a breakdown of the metals in the alloys the lab he uses is what you need.

As I've said though, iron will not be in a dental alloy for use in bonded crowns.

teddysmum

I have had multiple MRIs over the last 8 years, two about 7 and 5 years ago, being head scans.


This year, I had a neck scan and noticed that the form was different and went into detail about metals, beyond asking if you had prosthetics, unremoved metal pellets, welding matter in an eye, joint replacements etc.


This one mentioned what could involve teeth, so I asked at the pre-scan interview.


The lady said that the interest was in any metal or alloy that was magnetic as the scanner has very strong magnets (so strong that in China a tech, servicing a scanner was badly injured when it attracted a forgotten wheelchair which pinned the tech and a colleague to the mouth of the machine, causing serious injury to one).


She said that tooth metal was unlikely to be grabbed by the magnets and she had overseen thousands of scans on people with fillings.


I don't have any implants or crowns, but when you get the scan letter, with it's form, there will be a number to call if you need to check whether there is a problem. I didn't, as I'd had two head scans already with no problem).