Implant Crown Blacktown: Custom Porcelain from Our In-House Lab
A dental implant is widely considered the gold standard for replacing a missing tooth because it replaces both the root and the visible portion of the tooth. However, the implant itself is just the titanium post hidden beneath the gums. The part of the restoration that you see, smile with, and use to chew your food is the implant crown. At Your Family Dentist Blacktown, we know that the success of your implant relies heavily on the quality, strength, and aesthetics of this final crown. Here is our guide to understanding how we craft the perfect implant crown for your smile.
Understanding the Three Parts of an Implant
To understand the role of the crown, it helps to know the anatomy of a complete dental implant restoration. It consists of three distinct parts:
- The Implant (Fixture): A small titanium post surgically placed into the jawbone to act as an artificial tooth root.
- The Abutment: A small connector piece that is attached to the top of the implant, protruding slightly above the gum line.
- The Implant Crown: The custom-made, artificial tooth that is securely attached to the abutment, completing the restoration.
According to Your Family Dentist Blacktown, the implant crown is the only part of the restoration that is visible. It must be strong enough to withstand the immense pressures of biting and chewing, yet aesthetic enough to blend seamlessly with your surrounding natural teeth.
The Blacktown In-House Lab Difference
Creating an implant crown that looks entirely natural requires both advanced technology and artistic skill. The colour, shape, and translucency must be perfectly matched to your existing smile.
This is where Your Family Dentist Blacktown truly excels. We feature a state-of-the-art in-house dental laboratory right here in our clinic. Unlike most dental practices that must take messy putty impressions and send them to an external lab (leaving you waiting for weeks), we handle the entire process on-site.
Using 3D digital intraoral scanners, we take highly precise, comfortable digital impressions of your mouth. Our master technicians then use advanced CAD/CAM software to design your custom crown. It is then milled from a solid block of ultra-strong porcelain or zirconia. Because our technicians are on-site, they can look at your natural teeth in person and custom-stain the crown to ensure a flawless, undetectable colour match before it is permanently attached.
The Timeline for Receiving Your Crown
The journey to receiving your final implant crown requires patience, as the foundation must be solid before the tooth is attached.
The Osseointegration Phase
After the titanium implant is placed into your jawbone, you will enter a healing phase that typically lasts 3 to 6 months. During this time, the jawbone naturally grows and fuses around the titanium post—a process called osseointegration. This is what gives the implant its incredible, permanent strength.
Taking Digital Impressions
Once the dentist confirms that the implant has successfully fused with the bone, the abutment is attached. We then take a quick, comfortable 3D digital scan of the abutment and your surrounding teeth. This digital file is sent instantly to our in-house lab.
Fitting the Final Crown
Because our lab is on-site, the turnaround time for your final crown is exceptionally fast. Once milled and polished, the crown is either screwed or cemented securely onto the abutment. You will leave the clinic with a complete, fully functional, and beautiful new tooth.
Materials Used for Implant Crowns
We use only the highest quality materials for our implant crowns, typically:
- Zirconia: Exceptionally strong and durable, zirconia is often the material of choice for molar (back) teeth that must endure heavy chewing forces. It is also highly aesthetic and tooth-coloured.
- Porcelain/Ceramic: Highly translucent and capable of perfectly mimicking the light-reflecting properties of natural tooth enamel, porcelain is usually preferred for the highly visible front teeth.
FAQ: Caring for Your Implant Crown
Can an implant crown get a cavity?
No. Because the crown is made of porcelain or zirconia, it cannot decay like natural tooth enamel. However, the gum tissue surrounding the implant can still become infected if plaque is allowed to build up. Therefore, you must brush and floss around the implant crown daily to prevent gum disease (peri-implantitis), which could cause the implant to fail.
What if the crown chips or breaks?
While the materials we use are incredibly strong, they are not indestructible. If you bite down on something extremely hard (like ice or a popcorn kernel) and chip the crown, it can usually be easily replaced. Because we have the digital files and an in-house lab, we can quickly mill a replacement crown without needing to touch the underlying titanium implant.
Book Your Dental Implant Consultation
Restore your missing tooth with a custom crown designed just for you.
Book a consultation at Your Family Dentist Blacktown — call us today on (02) 7256 4979 to discuss dental implants and experience the quality of our in-house dental laboratory.