Your molars are the teeth that retain the most bite stress. In general, your molars are subjected to about 168 pounds of pressure. This is compared to an overall bite force of 5,600 pounds per square inch of force. This amount of pressure is surely substantial, and while the teeth can withstand much more stress than this, the teeth weaken over time. When this happens, the teeth start to crack. When a molar cracks, you will need to see an emergency dentist. The professional may suggest a dental crown so you can keep subjecting your teeth to the same amount of stress. You have several crown options that include porcelain infused with metal. Keep reading if you want to learn about the benefits of these types of crowns.

They Are Strong

Large tooth cracks and chips can severely damage the structural integrity of a tooth. Tooth strength also diminishes if the tooth has gone through a root canal procedure. This means that your molar can continue to crack or break if you place too much stress on the tooth. When cracks appear in the molars and show up beneath a crown, a condition called crack tooth syndrome may appear. Cracked tooth syndrome can lead to the need for a full dental extraction. This is most commonly the case when the crack starts to migrate down into the root of the tooth or beneath the gumline.

Preventing damage like this is possible if you work with your dentist to receive a strong crown. Strong crowns will retain much of the pressure and stress from the teeth. While metal crowns are the strongest, porcelain and metal come in at a close second when it comes to strength.

They Are Tooth Colored

One of the reasons why dentists suggest porcelain and metal crowns over plain metal varieties is the fact that porcelain and metal ones are natural looking, while the all metal ones simply are not. Dental aesthetics are extremely important to most people, especially when it comes to relatively expensive restorations. The good news is that metal and porcelain crowns are typically cheaper than all-porcelain varieties. The reason for this is the reduced need for costly porcelain. 

The only aesthetic issue you may notice with the crown is the appearance of a dark line along the bottom edge of the device. This dark edge is the metal peeking out from underneath the porcelain. While there is not much you can do about the dark lip of the crown, it will be mostly unnoticeable since the device is secured over one of your molars.