When it comes to making a crown, you often find yourself faced with the problem that although you recommend the zircon crown, patients prefer a crown made of metal ceramic, based solely on price. How can you get them to choose zirconium instead? Read on, we'll tell you.





Whenever your patient is in the chair, there are two things of which you can be sure he or she wants:

1. A natural, beautiful finish;
2. And (lacking a degree in dentistry) the lowest price available.

Even when the more expensive option might be the only legitimate choice, if you haven’t familiarized the patient with the causes, treatment, and associated costs, the patient will inevitably request an inexpensive solution.

Let's start with the basics.

For a patient to make a responsible decision, based on need and not just price, you must explain two things.




Firstly, patients need to be aware of what each of their choices mean. For instance, have you made the patient aware of the zircon crown’s advantages? More on this later.

Although you will be well-familiar with both metal ceramic and zircon crowns, these will be relatively unknown concepts to a layperson. So, before talking prices or even the benefits of zirconium, you must provide background information.

Start by relating how the traditional metal ceramic crowns are ceramic-plated with metal heads, while zirconium crowns are more modern and durable, not to mention metal-free. Explain the health hazards metal fittings pose. You'll be on the right track.

After this, you can explain the other, less obvious benefits of the zircon crown. These benefits will carry more weight, as your patient will already have foundational knowledge on which to build.

What Benefits Might Encourage a Patient to Choose Zircon?

When you detail the advantages of zirconium, be sure to refer to metal ceramic crowns frequently and compare the pros-and-cons. This will sway your patients’ perception of the price discrepancy before you’ve even finished the consultation. The price will become a secondary factor, at best, rather than the primary motivation.



Above all, your patient wants beautiful teeth. For the majority, this is their primary concern; thus, a strong central point for conversation.

Demonstrate, if possible, the properties of zirconium and natural teeth share. Zirconium is naturally white and translucent, like teeth, providing a natural effect. Explain how, in contrast, metal reflects light, highlighting its artificiality.

With that main argument alone, you'll have already won many patients to zirconium.



In addition to a beautiful mouth, your patient also wants a long-lasting product. Point out that all crowns inevitably alter the appearance and operation of the mouth. Some more than others.

Describe or demonstrate how metal ceramic takes on a greyish tinge over time and cause a visible grey band in the gums at the insertion point. Aesthetics aside, this is not healthy and can pose problems for the patient later, adversely affecting function.






This brings me to the next point, safety. Zircon crowns neither cause metal allergies nor inflame the gums. Inflammation can cause gingivitis, which can initiate serious complications. Years of this can lead to “bone aeration,” which, of course, your patient would like to avoid.



As a professional, you know that zirconium is being used with computer-based CAD/CAM technology. Talk about why this is important. How a crown made of zirconium will fit perfectly, since it will be sized to within a hundredth of a millimeter.



Ask your patient if he or she has ever had problems eating hot or cold foods. If so, reassure the patient that zirconium, unlike metal, does not conduct heat. Temperature sensitivity could be a thing of the past. This, all on its own, is often a winning argument.





The role x-rays play might not be obvious to your patient. Your patient may not understand that if he chooses zirconia, the condition of the ground tooth below the crown will remain visible, since x-rays penetrate zirconium. In contrast, metal ceramic is not, which is clearly detrimental in the long-term.



Zircon crowns mean patients require no secondary shaping, sealing out harmful bacteria, thanks to pin-point accurate grinding the first time around. They get a durable and safe solution.

Close with the Flow

With these seven arguments, you can help your patient make an informed decision. Based, not on personal intuition or the price, but on a solid understanding of the options. If you methodically build-up the case for the zircon crown, using the arguments listed above, convincing your patients should prove easy.

What Can You Do to Make Your Consultations Even Better?

Since your patients wish to see a price at the consultation, you can win a lot of favor by presenting it professionally and confidently. Using the DentiCalc app, which is specifically designed to make this process easier for dentists, can help improve your business immediately.