What is CEREC?

You might have heard the term CEREC crowns from someone who has just been to the dentist — or even from your own dentist — without knowing what the name might mean. CEREC stands for Chairside Economical Restoration of Esthetic Ceramics, and this innovative approach to crowns is revolutionizing dentistry. The next time you need a crown from your dentist, CEREC is likely to be a convenient and effective solution.

Why are CEREC crowns beneficial?

CEREC crowns are extremely beneficial for a number of reasons. Chief among them is the ease in which the crown can be made. In a single visit to the dentist’s office, you can have a CEREC crown completed. Skip the wait and bother of a traditional crown with one simple trip to the dentist.

CEREC crowns are just as durable as traditional crowns — with the added benefit of looking much more natural than a metal crown. Your smile will still look like you with a CEREC crown, and you can go back to your regular routine as soon as you leave the dentist’s office with your new CEREC crown.

CEREC crowns are also cost-effective. They’re a convenient and affordable option, saving you time and money on appointment costs and scheduling, and time away from work.

What are the pros of CEREC crowns?

One of the biggest reasons why CEREC crowns are a great choice is the convenience. Traditional dental crowns are a much more involved process — a process that could take weeks to complete. This process includes taking a putty mold of your teeth, sending the impression away for a lab to make a crown, and leaving you with a resin temporary crown in the meantime. The resin crown might not be a perfect fit, leaving you with discomfort. Plus, you might have to forego certain food items that you normally enjoy eating because of the risk of the temporary crown falling off. When your new crown is ready, you might still run the risk of it not fitting perfectly — necessitating additional delays.

With CEREC crowns, the fit is always perfect because of the special, highly advanced process and technology that we use. The process also takes just a single visit. You’ll receive your permanent CEREC crown on the same day of your visit — perfect for people on the go who need dental solutions fast. In the course of a morning or afternoon, you’ll be on your way with your brand new CEREC crown — and no one will be able to tell the difference in your smile.

Once the machine is finished making the CEREC crown, the dentist will use glue to adhere it to your tooth.

What can I expect when receiving CEREC crowns?

CEREC crowns have “chairside” in the name because of how fast and efficient the crowns are to receive — everything happens right beside your chair, all in the same visit. In some cases, the entire procedure takes less than an hour. Unlike traditional crowns, the process is easy, minimally invasive, and clean.

You won’t receive any injections because the process isn’t painful. And CEREC crowns look like natural teeth — they’re often indistinguishable from your regular smile and from the damaged tooth that needed to be repaired. You won’t have to endure the putty mold to take the impression of your damaged tooth, and you won’t need the inconvenience and discomfort of a temporary crown while your crown is made offsite.

During the process of receiving a CEREC crown, the dentist will first prepare your tooth. However, less preparation is required than with a traditional crown, meaning that you will be more comfortable during the process. Then, the dentist uses a special camera to gather images of your tooth. These images will be used in the design of your new CEREC crown. The dentist makes sure that everything that made your tooth unique is included, including certain ridges, indentations, and more. While you are still in the office, a specialized milling machine that utilizes computer-aided designing and manufacturing creates your crown from ceramic. It’s designed to be a perfect match to the tooth that needed repairing — right down to the color. Even your closest friends and family won’t be able to tell that you’ve had a crown.

What is Lifetime Dental Health’s experience with CEREC crowns?

Here at Lifetime Dental Health, we are dedicated to making sure that we incorporate the latest in dental technology to our practice so that we can offer our patients the best range of options for their dental care. We have plenty of experience with CEREC crowns, and can confidently recommend this service to patients who might be candidates for it. We are experts when it comes to CEREC crowns, and can make your own customized crown in a single setting and send you on your way.

Questions about CEREC crowns and whether they might be right for you? Call us today at (614) 333-9442 — we’d be happy to answer them!