Why would anyone still prescribe a PFM? You may be surprised!

With the onslaught of Zirconia, Lithium Disilicate and other such all-ceramic materials is there still a place for PFM crown and bridge restorations? In an industry where “metal free” is the rapidly growing trend, Gardali Advanced Restorative still believes that there is a place for PFM crown and bridge restorations. Some might say PFM is a product of the past, but there are 1,000’s of dentist still confidently prescribing PFM for their crown and bridge work.

WHY is that? Indications when a PFM is still the best option:

Prep Style:

Nothing fits a knife/feathered edge margin like a polished metal margin. Dentists can “FEEL” the difference. Where’s the margin…where the coping stops. Mechanical fit that you can feel. AND the metal coping margin will not chip or fracture on said preparations as Zirconia will for Zirconia requires a shoulder margin prep.

Occlusal Space:

A metal occlusion solves the challenges of the bruxing patient while being kind to opposing dentition. This is especially valuable with a short prep.

Esthetics:

YES esthetics! A highly trained ceramist can create the most esthetically pleasing crowns possible. Nothing reflects light more naturally than hand-stacked layers of porcelain. NOTHING can showcase color, value and hue like hand-stacked porcelain. AND, yes, we can get rid of the grey lines! In addition, if you’re matching an adjacent PFM…it is the ONLY way to get those teeth to “match”.

Retrievability:

Consider the retrievability or future endodontic work that may be required. Have you tried to remove or drill through Zirconia? Enough said.

Strength:

So what about strength? There is sometimes a misconception that metal free materials can replace and be stronger than PFM, but when it comes to bridges, the tensile strength is much stronger than any metal free material. The metal in a PFM bridge has a load to fracture strength of 10,000+ megapascal, while a metal free bridge is around 600-900 megapascal. With a sound prep and a highly skilled laboratory technician the PFM is still a dependable, beautiful solution for today’s dental patient.

What’s the BOTTOM line?

All-ceramic, Zirconia restorations certainly have come a long way. They are strong and the esthetics are better than ever. Quite frankly, the fabrication process allows a laboratory to provide these restorations at a lower fee than a well built, hand-crafted PFM as well. For many indications, all-ceramic should be the restorative material of choice however; there is still a place for PFM’s. Let’s NOT be too quick to abandon what we KNOW works well and has proven to be a long-term solution for our patients.

Interested in beautifully, hand-crafted PFM crowns & bridges?