You might have heard your dentist mention a CEREC® crown, but perhaps you are unclear about what a CEREC crown is. When you have a damaged tooth, the dentist will suggest several options for repairing the tooth, based on the type of damage and your oral health. Worn-down or teeth damaged by tooth decay are candidates for repair with crowns. Not all types of crowns are the same. CEREC crowns offer you a durable crown that looks natural and will last a long time. Here is how your dentist will use CEREC technology to design your crown.
When a patient has a damaged tooth, the dentist will offer several options to repair the damage and preserve the tooth. CEREC stands for Chairside Economical Restoration of Esthetic Ceramic. It is an increasingly popular way to create a custom-fit crown at the dentist’s office. There are many options for crowns besides CEREC, but more and more people are opting for CEREC over more conventional choices.
Dentists use computer-aided design (CAD) and computer-aided manufacture (CAM) to create a CEREC crown. Using accurate measurements, the dentist uses a program to craft a crown to fit the patient’s damaged tooth. The dentist can use impressions to match the patient’s natural bite when creating the new crown. In some cases, the dentist can also scan the patient’s mouth.
The program that designs the custom crown sends the information to the machine. The machine receives the measurements from the software and mills the crown down to closely mimic the patient’s tooth. The resulting crown is accurate. The dentist will install it and have the patient test it by biting. The dentist can make further refinements to the crown to ensure a good fit.
Dentists create CEREC crowns in the office. For most patients, the entire process is very efficient and takes only one visit. With other types of crowns, dentists often have to take impressions and send the impressions to an outside lab. There is a greater risk for error, and patients must also make several appointments until the dentist has completed the work. The milling process for a CEREC crown can take as little as 15 minutes.
The dentist will shape the tooth that needs the crown while the machine crafts the crown. Trimming the tooth allows the CEREC crown to fit closely on the existing tooth. If the crown is covering a cavity or tooth decay, the dentist may open the cavity slightly. Before the dentist installs the crown, they will remove any tooth decay infection.
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Advances in dental technology mean you do not have to make do with poorly fitting crowns anymore. CEREC crowns fit so well, you may forget you had the procedure. You can get a natural-looking crown in only a single dentist visit with CEREC. Your dentist can help you decide if this is a good option for you.
Request an appointment or call Cosmetic & Family Dentistry of the North Shore at 781-443-8268 for an appointment in our Swampscott office.
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