In short
- Zirconia: strong, used on front and back teeth and for bridges.
- E-max: highly translucent, often chosen for front teeth.
- Veneers: usually cover only the front surface and need less preparation.
- Teeth with more structural loss suit crowns; mainly cosmetic changes suit veneers.
Zirconia crowns
A strong, metal-free crown that covers the whole tooth. Often chosen for heavily filled, broken or root-treated teeth, back teeth and bridges.
E-max crowns
An all-ceramic option that lets light through much like a natural tooth, which is why it is often used on front teeth where appearance matters most.
Porcelain veneers
Thin ceramic shells bonded to the front of the teeth. They improve shade, shape, small chips and gaps without covering the whole tooth, but may not suit teeth with large decay, heavy grinding or insufficient enamel.
Which should I choose?
- Large fillings, fractures or root canal treatment: usually zirconia or E-max crowns
- Shade or shape issues on otherwise healthy front teeth: often veneers
- Back teeth or bridges: usually zirconia
- If natural teeth can be lightened enough: whitening may be considered first