Dental crowns completely encase an existing tooth to provide strength, protection, and restoration. They can also be secured with a dental implant if you have missing teeth. Dr. Pelts may use a crown to:
Repair a tooth with extensive decay
Cover a cracked or broken tooth
Cover a tooth after a root canal
Improve the appearance of discolored or crooked teeth
Preserve a tooth that’s weak due to a large filling
Replace a missing tooth
CEREC crowns are made and permanently inserted in one dental visit. By comparison, standard crowns require at least two office visits and you’ll wear a temporary crown while waiting for the crown to be produced. Same-day dental crowns are made possible by advanced digital 3-D technology available at Dr. Pelts’ office.
Dr. Pelts will prepare your tooth for the crown by removing decay or old fillings. Then she will use a digital 3-D camera to create a precise map of your mouth and a detailed image of the tooth receiving the dental crown.
Computer-aided design (CAD) software uses the digital image to design a crown tailored to your mouth and dental needs, then the information is sent to an on-site fabrication machine that mills the crown from a block of solid ceramic or zirconia.
Your new crown is matched to the color of your teeth so it looks natural. After it’s made, Dr. Pelts attaches the CEREC crown to the prepared tooth, checks its placement and fit, and you have a new restoration.
The biggest advantage of a CEREC crown is that your tooth is restored during one appointment. You don’t have to wait for the crown to be produced, wear temporary restoration, then go back for a second appointment to have the crown placed over your tooth.
CEREC crowns offer advantages beyond the same-day benefit:
Quick procedure: entire process is usually completed within an hour
Less anesthesia: fewer shots required to deliver less anesthetic
Natural looking: CEREC crowns are made from tooth-colored porcelain material
Biocompatible: safe, non-toxic materials are used to make CEREC crowns
Plaque resistant: CEREC crowns resist plaque and staining so your tooth stays healthy
Durable: high-quality porcelain material is strong and durable
Accurate: We use a specialized camera to take precise impressions of your tooth which we transfer and display on a color computer monitor where we apply CAD tech to design the restoration. We use CAM to automatically create a flawless restoration for your tooth.