What Is a CEREC Crown?
Do you have a broken or severely damaged tooth but don’t want to wait two weeks for a permanent crown? A CEREC crown significantly reduces your wait time and might be the right solution.
But, before you schedule your visit, it helps to understand more about CEREC crowns. Let’s discuss everything you should know before getting your crown.
What’s CEREC?
The acronym CEREC means Chairside Economical Restoration of Esthetic Ceramics, which refers to the machine used to make the crown. This technology can create custom crowns right in the office using a computer-created design and computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) machine.
Our dentist can create your crown the same day with CEREC since it eliminates the middleman — the dental lab. We can use it to create crowns in various materials, such as:
- Composite resin
- Porcelain
- Ceramic
Once our dentist inputs the necessary information, the machine takes four to thirty minutes to produce the crown. Then, it’s ready for our dentist to apply.
Benefits of a CEREC crown
For one, our dentist can complete the ENTIRE process in one visit, so there isn’t a long waiting period, nor do you have to deal with multiple commutes to and from the office or take numerous days off work.
A CEREC crown doesn’t require our dentist to create a mold. Instead, our dentist will use 3-D digital images to create the 3D model, eliminating the plaster mess and impression tray discomfort.
In terms of quality, despite the quick production process, CEREC crowns are as durable as traditional ones.
Fortunately, the tooth-colored materials for your crown ensure that it closely resembles your natural teeth. With CEREC, the results look even more natural because these crowns don’t have a metal core like traditional ones.
Plus, you don’t have to worry about breaking a temporary crown because there’s no need for one.
Considerations
While all the perks of CEREC may have you wanting this method for tooth repair, not all patients qualify. In general, though, our dentist will recommend them in place of a conventional tooth-colored crown in every instance.
However, if you require a metal crown because of bruxism or if it is on a back tooth that won’t be seen, Dr. Kinney won’t advise it.
The Process
The process is similar to getting a traditional crown, minus the additional time.
Our dentist will examine the tooth and see if you qualify for CEREC. If you’re eligible, Dr. Kinney will administer a local anesthetic and prepare the tooth by removing any damage. Afterward, he’ll dry the area so the crown adheres well.
Next, Dr. Kinney will take digital impressions of the tooth. The CEREC machine will process and convert them into a single 3-D image. Finally, your dentist will choose a colored block of either composite resin, porcelain, or ceramic that matches the hue of your natural teeth.
The CEREC machine will then create the crown from the digital image. Once milled, our dentist will ensure the tooth is the proper size and works with your bite. He’ll make an adjustment or two at this point if necessary.
The last step is using dental-grade cement to adhere the crown to the existing tooth.
As you can see, a CEREC crown has its share of benefits, and the process isn’t much different than getting a standard crown, except it doesn’t have the drawbacks, such as the waiting period. And fortunately, most people qualify and can benefit from this one-day tooth repair solution.
So, contact us today to start the process.
Or:
- Call us at: (317) 575-1120
- Email us directly at: reception@keystonedentistry.com
We’d like you to know we’re conveniently located in Indianapolis, IN, on 96th St. but serve the surrounding areas of Greenwood, Avon, Speedway, Noblesville, Westfield, Brownsburg, Fisher, and Plainfield as well.
