One Day Crowns (CEREC®)
At HDG, we use a digital process called CEREC® (Chairside Economical Restoration of Esthetic Ceramics), which allows us to fabricate crowns, inlays, onlays and some veneers without having to send cases to a dental laboratory. Through CAD-CAM technology right in our office, we can often produce & insert the restoration in the same day.
So how exactly does CEREC® work?
Unlike a traditional crown procedure, CEREC® requires only one appointment. CEREC® crowns are made from ceramic and, similar to a traditional crown appointment, we’ll still take x-rays to evaluate your unique situation and determine if this process is right for you.
Here’s what you can expect:
- We’ll use an intraoral scanner to take photos of your teeth and to create a digital impression.
- This digital impression is then sent to the CAD-CAM software to produce a digital tooth restoration.
- From here, the restoration is then sent to a manufacturing, or milling, machine to produce a physical crown from ceramic, which can take up to 15 minutes.
- We will then use cosmetic materials to accurately shade-match and polish the crown before cementing it to your tooth.
Benefits of CEREC® Crowns
So, why should you consider a CEREC® crown versus a traditional crown?
- First & foremost, it looks and feels like a real tooth.
- The ceramic material is closely matched to your tooth’s color & the 3D imaging technology enables us to accurately fit the crown to your bite and gum lines.
- Patients generally find the CEREC® process to be more comfortable, and more preferable due to fewer appointments/less time spent in the dental office.
- CEREC® crowns can last just as long as a traditional metal crown, as long as you’re continuing to practice good oral hygiene.
Have questions? Just ask! We want to make sure that you’re fully equipped with all of the information that you need before making a dental crown decision.
