CEREC Same-Day Crowns at Highland Smiles
A tooth significantly damaged to due fracturing, decay, accident or even restoration failure may trigger the need for a crown. A crown is a full coverage restoration that will restore the effected tooth back to health.
In the past, getting a dental crown meant at least two dentist appointments and wearing a temporary plastic-like crown between visits. Thanks to CEREC technology, however, you can now get a crown in just one visit to the dentist. Call Highland Smiles to get your natural-looking dental crown, made while you wait!
What Is CEREC Technology?
CEREC technology is a method used to restore strength, stability, and function to any tooth that is decayed, broken, fractured, or damaged. This technology utilizes Computer Aided Design (CAD) and Computer Aided Manufacturing (CAM) to accurately and quickly create ceramic restorations chairside in a single appointment rather than over multiple appointments with laboratory work in between. This means the patient does not have to live with a temporary restoration for weeks while the lab creates his or her restoration!
CEREC is actually an acronym of the following words:
Chairside—CEREC includes a milling unit located right in our office, so we can make your crown while you wait.
Economical—The patient spends less time in the dental chair, and there is less time taken away from work and family.
Restoration— Your CEREC same-day dental crown has similar form and function as your natural tooth and esthetically will likely look as natural as your other teeth.
Esthetic—Your CEREC dental crown will look completely natural because there is no metal used. You will be the only one who knows you have a crown!
Ceramic—A strong material, ceramic is very durable in the mouth. Other materials can also be used via CAD/CAM design which are also strong and biocompatible.
The color and shape of each CEREC restoration is customized to each patient so it fits properly in his or her mouth and matches the other teeth esthetically. This technology restores affected teeth with biocompatible material, which exhibits high physical and esthetic qualities.
How Does CEREC Technology Work?
After the proper treatment is determined for the tooth, Dr. Rohleder will administer an anesthetic and prepare the affected tooth for restoration by removing all decayed or failed tooth structure.
Once this process is complete, the medical grade CEREC camera is used to take digital images of the prepared tooth. The pictures take the place of bulky impression trays and impression “goop,” which one would traditionally hold in the mouth until it hardens to create a model of the tooth. No more gagging on uncomfortable trays and “goop” dripping down the throat! Digital imaging is much more time effective and comfortable for the patient.
The images are sent to the CEREC computer, which converts the pictures into a 3-D model of the tooth so a restoration can be designed chairside while the patient waits! After the restoration is designed, it is milled out of the milling machine—like a 3-D printer—from a ceramic block that matches the color of the patient’s other teeth. It is then tested for proper fit on the patient and custom painted for perfect esthetics. Shortly thereafter, the restoration is ready to be bonded to the patient’s tooth. All of this is done in one appointment—no temporary necessary!
Please call Highland Smiles to schedule your appointment for a natural-looking dental crown you can get in just one visit!
Frequently Asked Questions
With single-visit ceramic restorations, the procedure for getting a dental crown is easier than ever. Called CEREC technology, this procedure takes place all in one visit. First, we will take an optical impression of your tooth using a digital camera. CEREC’s three-dimensional software creates a model of the crown, which we can adjust as needed for a perfect fit. Once finalized, the specifications are sent to the onsite milling unit. A perfect-fitting restoration is ready to be bonded in just about 15 minutes. There are no more worries about ill-fitting temporaries!
If you receive a temporary dental crown, you should be sure to avoid sticky and chewy foods such as caramels, chewing gum, or anything that can “pull” at the crown. You can also talk to us about CEREC same-day crowns. We are one of the few dental offices in the Denver area to offer CEREC technology. With CEREC, a decayed, damaged, or broken tooth can be replaced with a strong crown that looks completely natural in just one trip to the dentist!
If your crown came off:
- If your crown comes off and it is during normal business hours, please call the office and we will re-cement it.
- If your crown comes off and you have had a root canal, you should not experience any discomfort and it is not an urgent situation. Call us during office hours.
- If the crown comes off after hours or on the weekend you have two options: (1) leave the crown off of the tooth and call during normal business hours for a re-cementation appointment, or (2) re-cement the crown yourself. You can go to any pharmacy and get “Dentemp” or denture adhesive in the toothpaste aisle (instructions on package). Clean out the crown gently with your toothbrush and place some of the temporary material inside the crown and firmly put the crown back in place. Call us during normal business hours, and we can check the crown for you.
If you are experiencing dental pain with swelling:
- If you are experiencing dental pain with swelling and it is during normal business hours, please call the office immediately for an appointment.
- If you are experiencing dental pain with swelling after-hours or on a weekend, please seek the nearest 24-hour urgent care clinic.
If you have a temporary crown:
While you are in the temporary phase, expect to have cold and chewing sensitivity. You may take ibuprofen to help with any discomfort. If your gums are sensitive after the treatment, warm salt water rinses will help with the healing process.
If you experience aching, throbbing, pain that wakes you up at night and ibuprofen is not helping, please call our office during normal business hours.
Care for your temporary crown as follows.
- Avoid chewing anything hard or sticky (such as almonds and gum) on the side with the temporary
- Do not floss between the temporary and adjacent teeth. If you absolutely must floss, hold onto the temp and slide the floss out rather than popping it out.
- Continue brushing normally on the temporary.
If your temporary crown falls off:
- If your temporary comes off and it is within normal business hours, please call the office and we will re-cement it.
- If it comes off after hours or on weekends, you can go to any pharmacy and get “Dentemp” or denture adhesive in the toothpaste aisle (instructions on package). Clean out the temporary gently with your toothbrush and place some of the temporary material inside the crown and firmly put the crown back in place.
If you have had a root canal and your temporary crown falls off:
- If your temporary crown comes off after your root canal, you should not experience any discomfort and it is not an urgent situation.
- If the temporary crown comes off on the weekend you have two options: (1) leave the temporary crown off the tooth and call on Monday for a re-cementation appointment, or (2) re-cement the crown yourself. You can go to any pharmacy and get “Dentemp” or denture adhesive in the toothpaste aisle (instructions on package). Remove some of the old cement from the inside of your crown, dry your tooth off and push the temporary crown with the cement inside to your tooth. Call the office during business hours and we will re-cement/check your temporary.
Please direct any other questions regarding temporary crowns to the main office line.
Step 1: Scan
Step 2: Mill
Step 3: Prepare for fire
Step 4: Place tooth in the oven
Featured Blog Posts - CEREC Same-Day Crowns
Happy Toothsday!
Our final week of the CEREC series shows the crown being fired in the oven. We spray a glaze on the crown to make it shiny and look like a tooth. The crown is test-fitted one more time for any needed adjustments and then permanently cemented and a final bite ...
Tidbit Toothsday
Happy Toothsday!
Week three of our CEREC series shows the lovely Jasmine getting the crown out of the milling unit and ready for the oven. This step is crucial as we test the crown and make sure it fits properly before it gets cooked, otherwise we have to go back to ...
Tidbit Toothsday
The next step in a CEREC crown is the milling process. Our team places a CEREC "block" into the milling unit, the scanner sends the prescription, and the crown is "printed" from the block. Watch the video on Facebook, Instagram or our YouTube channel.