What’s the best way to restore a smile?

It was in the 1800s that porcelain dentures became the standard for replacing teeth and ousted popularly-used materials such as bone, ivory, and human teeth which, naturally, were taken from someone else’s mouth. Fortunately for us, dentistry has not only changed over time to using materials that are stronger, more sanitary, and not previously owned by someone else—but the technology used to create and mold those materials has come leaps and bounds over just the last 50 years. In the 1980s the first CEREC, or Chairside Economical Restoration of Esthetic Ceramics, was invented and has increasingly revolutionized the dental industry. The first CEREC machine was only able to create inlays using two-dimensional software. Over the next 25 years, with each new rendition of the machine and improved technology, it went from utilizing two-dimensional to three-dimensional technology. All the while it also expanded the range of prosthetics it was able to create which went on to include crowns and even bridges.Today, CEREC crowns are most commonly known as single visit crowns or same day crowns. No matter what you call it, however, the process is all the same—and incredible at that. Here’s a comparison of lab-created crowns and same day crowns—and why same day crowns are not just an advancement for dental technology but one for your experience as the patient as well.

How do you achieve a more natural looking smile?

CEREC crowns allow us to create natural looking dental prosthetics that perfectly match the rest of your smile. Thanks to CAD/CAM technology, we not only measure each nook and cranny of the surface of your tooth, but we can also color match it. While the old porcelain fused to metal crowns were able to give a natural look, the porcelain layer was prone to chipping and breaking leading to metal showing through. Some patients would also reported the metal layer underneath would peek out along their gum line.

Which dental procedure will save you more time?

Single visit crowns means just that—crowns created and bonded to the post, whether your natural tooth or an implant, in just one day. It used to be that an impression would need to be taken then, sent off to the lab. During this visit we may also need to shape the natural tooth to be a post for the crown and apply a temporary crown in the meantime. We would then wait for the impression to be received by the lab, used to create the crown, and finally sent back to the office. We could then set up a second appointment to take off the temporary crown and place the new, permanent one.However, often enough, patients would find their temporary crown would fall off in the that three-week wait time, which would require another visit to have it placed back onto the post. Some patients also found the temporary crown would cause sensitivity, and they would need to eat carefully to not displace it (and therefore require another trip to have it put back). And at times they fall off between visits or allow the teeth to shift making the final crown difficult to fit.CEREC crowns save both you and the office time by eliminating multiple visits. They also create a shorter wait time for you to get back to using your teeth as normal.

More money in your pocket to spend around Bee Cave.

And with fewer visits also comes less money being spent. By eliminating multiple visits, you eliminate multiple copays—or, as sometimes is the case, paying for the visits out of pocket. CEREC crowns cut out the middleman—the lab—so not only are you skipping the three-week waiting period that comes with lab-created crowns, but you also aren’t paying fees that come with having a custom mold taken, created, and used for your crown to then be shipped back to the office.

Your new crown couldn’t be more custom made.

Thanks to CAD/CAM technology, we are able to take far more accurate and efficient impressions of your teeth making for a better fit and alignment. CAD/CAM creates a 3-Dimensional digital impression of your mouth that we use to measure the area where the crown will be placed. No more gooey impressions that ended up flawed due to saliva distorting the impression or due to one-fits-all impression trays improperly fitting a patient’s bite (and plain ole’ human error is often a factor). In fact, same day crown’s are estimated to be at least 50 percent more accurate than lab created counterparts. That means a more comfortable, natural end result for you, the patient.

And your CEREC crown couldn’t be stronger.

Single visit crowns are typically made from a solid block of ceramic or resin material. This makes for a stronger product than those made from multiple materials like porcelain fused to metal. Not only that, but also during the creation process your same day crown is heat treated to lock in more strength. With proper maintenance and care, CEREC crowns can last well over a decade.Here at Tomasik Family Dental, your comfort is our first priority. We are committed to bringing you the best and safest dental technology to provide you with treatment plans that are both convenient and highly personalized. That is why we have invested in the CEREC system and are excited about the treatment options it allows us to provide.Schedule your appointment with us here in Bee Cave today.