Can I Have an MRI with Dental Crowns?

• Yes. Dental crowns are safe in MRI at 1.5T and 3T. They are fixed to the tooth, do not move, and heat by less than 1°C in standard scans.
• The crown material decides image quality, not safety. Zirconia, E-Max, and gold crowns cause almost no distortion. Nickel-chromium and cobalt-chromium crowns can blur the jaw, sinus, and face area.
• Tell the radiographer about magnetic denture attachments, retainers, and braces. These are the dental items that need removal or special planning, not standard crowns.

Yes, you can safely have an MRI with dental crowns. Crowns are cemented firmly to the tooth, contain little or no ferromagnetic metal, and do not move or heat meaningfully in 1.5T or 3T scanners. The only real issue is image distortion. Metal-based crowns can create dark "artifacts" on scans of the head, jaw, and neck, while zirconia and all-ceramic crowns cause almost none.

Wupdoc connects you with accredited dental clinics that offer metal-free dental crowns, which matters if you expect regular head or neck MRI scans.

Are dental crowns dangerous in an MRI machine?

No. Standard dental crowns are not dangerous in an MRI. The MRI magnet pulls strongly only on ferromagnetic objects, such as iron or some steels. Most crown alloys are non-ferromagnetic or only weakly magnetic.

A cemented crown is held by dental cement and the tooth itself. It cannot be pulled loose by the magnetic field.

Heating is also minimal. Laboratory studies report temperature rises below 1°C around dental restorations during standard clinical sequences. This is far below the level that damages tissue.

Crowns on dental implants follow the same rule. Titanium implants are non-ferromagnetic and are considered MR-safe.

Which crown materials cause MRI artifacts?

An artifact is a black void or distorted area on the scan around a metal object. It can hide the tissue a doctor needs to see.

A 2022 study in Scientific Reports tested crowns of different materials in a 1.5T scanner. Resin, ceramic, zirconia and precious metal-ceramic crowns (gold-platinum, silver-palladium) produced negligible artifacts. Titanium metal-ceramic crowns produced artifacts of about 32–45 mm². Cobalt-chromium and nickel-chromium crowns produced the largest artifacts among single crowns.

The same study found that three metal crowns together created significantly more distortion than one. When base-metal crowns sat on titanium implants, the artifact area grew by 150–176 mm². Gold-based crowns on implants actually reduced the artifact.

The key point: every material in this table is safe. Only the image quality changes.

Will my crowns affect a brain MRI?

Usually not. Artifacts from a crown typically stay within 1–5 cm of the metal. A brain scan focuses above the jaw, so most crowns do not affect the diagnostic area.

Scans closer to the mouth are more affected. These include MRI of the jaw joint (TMJ), sinuses, tongue, salivary glands, orbit and neck. Several nickel-chromium crowns on the upper molars can distort the sinus and lower orbit images.

3T scanners create roughly twice the artifact of 1.5T scanners. If metal crowns cause problems, radiologists often switch to a 1.5T machine.

What should I tell the radiographer before the scan?

The MRI safety form asks about metal in the body. List your dental work clearly:

• Number and location of crowns, and the material if you know it.
• Dental implants and the implant brand, if available.
• Bridges, especially long metal-based bridges.
• Magnetic attachments on dentures or overdentures.
• Fixed braces, bonded retainers or removable appliances.

Radiology teams can then use metal artifact reduction sequences (MARS), such as SEMAC or MAVRIC. These can reduce distortion around metal by 50–80%.

Which dental items actually need removal before an MRI?

This is the detail most guides skip. Crowns are not the problem. A few other dental items are.

Removable dentures, partial dentures, and retainers must come out. They may contain metal clasps that distort images and can shift.

Magnetic denture attachments need special attention. Some overdentures on implants use small magnets and a steel "keeper" fixed in the root or implant. The magnet can be demagnetised by the scanner, and the keeper can cause large artifacts. Your dentist may need to remove the keeper before a head scan and refit it later.

Fixed metal braces are usually safe but can cause severe facial artifacts. Your orthodontist may remove the archwires for an important head or neck scan.

Does an MRI damage or loosen dental crowns?

No. There is no clinical evidence that a standard MRI loosens, cracks or damages cemented crowns. Porcelain, zirconia and E-Max are not affected by magnetic fields at all.

Some patients notice a faint metallic taste or tingling around older metal restorations. This is rare, temporary and harmless.

Should I choose metal-free crowns if I need regular MRI scans?

If you need regular head, neck or jaw MRI, metal-free crowns are the practical choice. This includes patients with MS, brain tumour follow-up, pituitary conditions or head and neck cancer monitoring.

Zirconia offers the best balance of strength and MRI compatibility. Read the difference in our guide on zirconia crowns vs porcelain crowns. For front teeth, E-Max gives higher translucency. Same-day CAD/CAM crowns are also metal-free.

The same logic applies to wider restorations. Porcelain veneers are MRI-friendly. Full-arch options such as All-on-4 dental implants can be finished with a zirconia bridge rather than a metal framework. If you are deciding between a dental bridge or a dental implant, ask for metal-free materials in both options.

How much does an MRI cost in different countries?

If you plan a scan abroad, self-pay MRI costs vary widely.

Adding contrast (gadolinium) usually costs 20–40% more. Always bring a written list of your dental work, as the safety check is the same everywhere.

You can safely have an MRI with dental crowns at 1.5T or 3T. Crowns do not move, heat up meaningfully, or get damaged by the scanner. The only effect is image distortion, which depends on the crown material. Zirconia, E-Max, resin, and gold crowns cause almost no artifacts. Nickel-chromium and cobalt-chromium crowns can blur jaw, sinus and neck images. Removable dentures, retainers, and magnetic denture keepers are the items that may need removal. If you need regular head or neck scans, choose metal-free crowns. Wupdoc connects you with accredited dental clinics that offer zirconia and E-Max crowns, with clear material details before you book.