To withstand biting forces, porcelain crowns always used to have a metal substructure. No matter how good the shade match would be, the crown always appeared unnatural and opaque. We all have seen the dark line at the gum line of porcelain to metal crown which is caused by the metal casting a shadow up the root surface.
Modern technology allows us to make crowns entirely out of porcelain. The dark line at the edge of the gum is eliminated, less tooth removal is necessary, the margin can be placed at the gum line, and light can travel through the crown. The result is much more estheticly pleasing and healthier for your teeth and gums. Full porcelain crowns are also semi-translucent on an x-ray which permits us to detect cavities earlier.
