If your tooth is badly damaged or decayed, you will likely need a dental crown. While traditional lab-created crowns can be a good option for some situations, more and more dentists and patients are choosing CEREC same-day crowns instead. CEREC means either Chairside Economical Restoration of Esthetic Ceramics, or CERamic REConstruction, depending on who you ask. Either way, CEREC is revolutionizing modern dentistry. Here are 3 reasons to choose a CEREC same-day crown.
Convenience
For many people, convenience is the number one reason to choose a CEREC same-day crown. A traditional crown requires two dentist visits. During the first appointment, your dentist will fix any existing problems with the tooth and prepare it for the crown. He or she will then take impressions and send them off to the lab, and fit you with a temporary crown to wear while you wait. Three weeks later, your new crown will be ready. You will then return to the office to have it placed.
With CEREC, we will repair and prepare your tooth like normal, and then take digital impressions. We feed those impressions into a specialized computer and use 3-D computer aided design (CAD) technology to create a model of your new crown. Finally, we will send the design to our in-office milling machine. The machine uses a block of color-matched ceramic to create your customized crown, which we will place in your mouth before you leave. There is no need for a second appointment.
Esthetics
While porcelain over metal crowns are reasonably natural in appearance, they are far from perfect. It is difficult to replicate the full appearance of natural dental enamel over a metal frame, and it is common for a thin band of exposed metal to show at the gum line.
CEREC same-day crowns are fabricated entirely from dental ceramic. This vastly improves the esthetics by more closely mimicking dental enamel. It also removes the risk of metal exposure at the gum line.
Strength and Durability
CEREC crowns use strong, durable, stain resistant dental ceramic. The CAD technology ensures a fit that is typically tighter and more precise than that of a lab-created crown. The ceramic is chemically bonded to the tooth, is fully biocompatible, and more closely resembles the natural composition of the tooth. This means that CEREC same-day crowns are an average of 18 percent stronger than traditional crowns. In addition, you will not need to deal with a loose, difficult to wear temporary crown while you wait for your final restoration.
Like anything else, CEREC same-day crowns are not right for everyone. In the majority of cases, though, a CEREC crown is an excellent way to improve both functionality and esthetics while reducing the time you spend sitting in the dentist’s chair.
Ready to Get Started?
If you are ready to start your journey to better oral health with a Cupertino dentist you can trust, contact Ryan Senft, DDS today at 408-996-8595 to schedule your first appointment.