What are Dental Crowns?

A crown is a prosthetic positioned over a tooth to create a smoother look and enhance strength and durability. A crown may last up to 40 years.

A Crown Is Recommended When a Tooth is

• Cracked
• Has an old filling
• Is severely decayed

Crowns strengthen and protect the remaining tooth structure and can improve the appearance of your smile.

CEREC 1 VISIT Crown Procedure

Most dental restorative methods require more than one visit to the dentist. This means that on the first visit, you get an injection of anesthesia, your tooth prepared, an impression taken, and a temporary restoration put on your tooth. You make a second appointment for a couple of weeks later, get another injection, have the temporary pried off, and have a permanent restoration put on.

With CEREC, the procedure is done in 1 single appointment, start to finish. The CEREC procedure can simultaneously design and mill, enabling our dentist to prepare perfectly fitted ceramic restorations in 1 patient visit, with huge savings TO THE PATIENT in time and laboratory costs.

First, our dentist will examine the tooth and determines the appropriate treatment. It could be a simple filling, or a full crown, depending on how much healthy tooth structure is remaining. Next, an anesthetic is administered and your tooth is prepared for the restoration, removing decayed and weakened tooth tissue.

Optical Impression

An Optical Impression will then be taken of the prepared tooth (instead of filling a tray with impression “goop” that you must bite into and hold in your mouth until it hardens). A color video camera is then used to take a digital picture of your tooth.

No Temporaries

Next, the CEREC machine helps our dentist create the restoration for your tooth. The CEREC 3D software takes a digital color image and converts it into a 3-dimensional virtual model on the computer screen. The restoration is then designed using the CEREC 3D computer program. The restoration design data is sent to a separate milling machine in the office.

On Site Milling Machine

A ceramic block that matches your tooth shade is placed in the milling machine. About 10 – 20 minutes later, your all-ceramic, tooth-colored restoration is finished and ready to bond in place. The restoration is inserted into your mouth to ensure proper fit and bite. It is is then polished and bonded to the prepared tooth.

Your tooth is restored with no “temporary” or return trip necessary. All of this is done in a single appointment.