Porcelain Fused To Metal

Porcelain-fused-to-metal dental crowns (PFMs) have a metal shell on which is fused a veneer of porcelain in a high heat oven. The metal provides strong compression and tensile strength, and the porcelain gives the crown a white tooth-like appearance. These crowns are often made with a partial veneer that covers only the aspects of the crown that are visible. The remaining surfaces of the crown are bare metal. A variety of metal alloys containing precious metals and base metals can be used. The porcelain can be color matched to the adjacent teeth.

Porcelain Fused to Gold   A porcelain fused gold dental crown consists of a thin layer of an alloy that contains about 60 percent of gold. This is then covered with porcelain that is shaped like a tooth. This gives it a more natural look than a crown made of metal only. However, since the gold alloy needs to be masked totally, more opaque porcelain is used. This makes it less natural looking than the dental crown made solely of porcelain.