What Are CEREC® Crowns?

You may not be familiar with CEREC® crowns, but this restorative method can benefit your smile and health. Crowns have been around since ancient times. Dentists have used them to hide abnormal teeth and to strengthen weak ones. The process can be long, but today, there is a different approach. A CEREC® cap could be the right way for you to repair a dental condition.

Clues that a person knows it is time for a crown

Dentists have several options when it comes to repairing teeth. Depending on the issue, the dentist may use fillings, bridges, veneers or implants to meet a patient’s needs and goals. Crowns are helpful when the patient has a cracked tooth that may fracture without treatment. The crown protects the tooth and helps prevent damage. People who have severe tooth decay may also need a crown. Also, a patient who is getting a root canal should expect a crown to be part of the procedure.

CEREC® crowns: an overview

Patients should learn more about Chairside Economical Restoration of Esthetic Ceramic crowns, or CEREC® for short. These natural-looking caps are made of ceramic and fit over a damaged or abnormal tooth. These caps function similarly to traditional crowns, but the process is different. There are advantages to getting these over other crowns. Perhaps the biggest reason to get them is that it is a much shorter process.

Using technology

With traditional crowns, the dentist will take X-rays and make impressions of the patient’s mouth. The dentist sends these to an off-site lab where a technician makes the crown out of porcelain, ceramic or metal. It may take a few weeks before the crown is ready for the patient. In the meantime, the dentist will place a temporary resin crown over the affected tooth. At a subsequent appointment, the patient will get the crown.

However, this process is different from CEREC® crowns. The dentist will turn to technological advances in computer-aided design and manufacturing to make the caps. Instead of making impressions out of plaster, the dentist makes a 3-D impression. It accurately captures every detail of the tooth so the crown can look just like the other teeth.

No time to wait

Instead of telling the patient to come back to the office a couple of weeks later, the dentist can then place the CEREC® crown right then and there. A milling machine in the office creates the crown out of a ceramic block. Once it is ready, dental assistants will paint the cap the desired color and will glaze it to nicely add to the patient’s smile. The dentist cements it in places and tests the patient’s bite.

The clear choice

It is not difficult to see why so many people prefer to get CEREC® crowns over traditional ones. You will not have to worry about coming in for multiple appointments or wearing an uncomfortable temporary cap on your affected tooth. When you are ready to repair the damage or flaws in your smile, call a dentist near you. Schedule an appointment to get started with this process.

Request an appointment here: https://www.southfloridadentalarts.com or call South Florida Dental Arts at (305) 230-4041 for an appointment in our Miami office.

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