Dental crowns are a necessary treatment for many patients. A crown caps a natural tooth to strengthen and protect it. Patients receive a dental crown after undergoing root canal surgery, suffering a severe tooth fracture, or having a cavity treated that is too large for a simple filling. Dental crowns are also a necessary component of a dental implant to replace a missing tooth. For years, the only way to get a permanent crown was to have one custom fabricated at a lab, a process that generally takes two to three weeks. But thanks to a revolutionary new technology, dentists can fabricate a custom-designed crown right in the office! These are known as CEREC crowns, and they offer a number of advantages over traditional dental crowns.
How traditional dental crowns work
To truly understand how revolutionary CEREC technology is, it’s helpful to have a basic understanding of how it works compared to traditional dental crowns. A patient receiving a traditional dental crown would visit the dentist and have impressions made. The dentist would apply the dental impression material into the patient’s mouth. When the impression is formed, the dentist would send it to an off-site lab. It would take two to three weeks for the crown to be made, at which point the patient would go back to the office to have the crown placed.
How CEREC technology works
CEREC technology completely changes this process, making it far more convenient and hassle-free to get a tooth restored. There’s no messy dental impression material needed, either. The dentist uses digital scans to create a 3D impression of the new crown. The patient can see the new tooth right on the screen. This information is then sent to the CEREC milling machine, which is located in the dental office. The crown is quickly fabricated while the patient relaxes comfortably. Then, the dentist makes any final adjustments needed, and places the crown—all during the same dental appointment.
CEREC vs. traditional crowns: Tooth preservation
There’s no question that patients prefer CEREC technology because of its convenience. But it also offers other benefits, like tooth preservation. Dentists need to remove some of the material of the natural tooth in order to make room for the new crown. But a CEREC crown doesn’t require as much of the natural tooth to be removed. Not only is this preferable from a dental health standpoint, but it also means patients endure far less drilling.
CEREC vs. traditional crowns: Digital accuracy
The fabrication of traditional dental crowns requires the use of dental impression material, which is messy and not exactly precise. When a crown comes back from an off-site lab, dentists typically have to spend a lot of time adjusting it so that it provides a more natural fit with the patient’s mouth. With the CEREC system, the mouth is digitally mapped right down to the last nook and cranny. Patients can rest assured knowing that the precision technology will result in a crown that perfectly and comfortably fits their mouth.
CEREC crowns on Long Island
At Long Island Implant and Cosmetic Dentistry, Dr. Nick and Dr. Elliot continually invest in the latest medical technologies to give patients the best possible care. Our office proudly offers CEREC technology, allowing us to restore your smile in just one visit! To learn more about getting CEREC crowns on Long Island, call our office in Suffolk County today.
Additional resources about dental crowns:
- Colgate, Your Dental Crown Procedure: What to Expect, https://www.colgate.com/en-us/oral-health/cosmetic-dentistry/bridges-and-crowns/your-dental-crown-procedure-what-to-expect-0113
- American Dental Association, Crowns, https://www.ada.org/~/media/ADA/Publications/Files/ADA_PatientSmart_Crowns.pdf?la=en
