Benefits of CEREC Crowns in a Day

CEREC technology continues to grow in popularity both with patients and with dentists because it offers many benefits:

  • Convenience
  • Predictability
  • No need for temporary crowns
  • Precise color and shape control
  • Highly attractive all-ceramic crowns
  • Very durable restorations
  • Design is stored in the computer for future use

The traditional two-visit structure was inconvenient in part because of having to make a second visit to the dentist, but also because of what happened between the visits. While waiting for a permanent crown, you would have to wear a temporary crown which often would come off before the next appointment.

CEREC restorations precisely match the color and appearance of your natural teeth.  They are bonded to your tooth and polished to give you a perfectly natural look and feel so that you can chew, eat and speak normally. The color of the crown can be adjusted in our office to make sure the match is precise. In addition, the bonded porcelain ensures an extremely long life for your tooth. But if you do have a problem with your crown due to trauma, the pattern is saved in the computer and a new crown can be made quickly.

How CEREC Works

The first part of the CEREC procedure for dental crowns is the same as the traditional process. Your natural teeth are prepared—some of the natural tooth material is removed, including any of the tooth that is decayed or damaged. Then a digital impression of your teeth is taken. You don’t have to bite into impression compound, which is not only uncomfortable, it can be hard to get right.

Then Dr. Kuzma will work to design your new dental crown on the computer. You can have input, too, and the crown can be tweaked until you both agree that it looks right. Then the crown is sent to a computer-controlled mill that grinds the dental crown out of a preselected color block. You can try it on and make sure the color is right before it is bonded to your tooth.

Additional Uses for CEREC

CEREC is most commonly used for dental crowns, but it can be used for many other types of restorations. CEREC can be used to make a replacement porcelain veneer right on the spot (it’s not an efficient way to make an entire set of veneers, though it could technically be used that way).

CEREC can also be used to make porcelain inlays or onlays, a type of tooth-colored filling that is even more durable than metal fillings.

And CEREC can be used to make crowns for dental implants if desired.

To learn whether you can benefit from the convenience and power of CEREC, please call(910) 392-6060 or email Kuzma Advanced Dentistry.