What is a crown?
People may need dental crowns for a variety of reasons. A crown may be placed on a cracked or severely broken tooth, a tooth that has experienced a root canal or needs a large filling, or to replace an old crown that has become damaged. Crowns are made of a durable material (such as ceramic, porcelain, or metal), and are fitted around the outside of a tooth to strengthen it.
If you’ve ever gotten a crown before, then you may be familiar with the old procedure. It required at least two dental visits, about a week or two apart. Here at our office, that’s no longer how we do things. We use modern technology to simplify the process. With CEREC, you can get a custom-made dental crown in a single visit.
What is CEREC?
With the old process for crowns, after your dentist prepared your tooth to receive the crown, you would next have impressions taken (usually with dental clay). A temporary crown would then be placed, and your impressions would be sent to a dental laboratory, where your permanent crown would be fabricated. After its return (in about 1-2 weeks), you would need to come in for a second appointment for the crown to be permanently placed.
With CEREC, instead of taking physical impressions and shipping them off to a laboratory, we take digital impressions using a special camera. The computer is able to create a 3D model of your teeth from these images. Next, your dentist uses the CEREC system to design your crown, using advanced computer modeling technology (known as computer-aided design, or CAD) along with your digital impressions. Using years of expertise in dentistry along with the advanced technology, your dentist is able to design a crown that will have minimal (if any) impact on your bite.
The CEREC system is then able to manufacture your crown from ceramic right here in our office. Once it’s complete, your dentist can permanently cement the crown onto your tooth, and you’re on your way. There’s no need for a temporary crown or a second appointment.
Dental crowns at Cormier Family Dentistry
Getting a dental crown has never been easier than it is now, with CEREC technology. We believe in the power of dentistry to change smiles and lives, and we use the most advanced technology currently available to help us do that. If you’re interested in a CEREC crown and you live in the Shreveport area, please contact our office to schedule an appointment with one of our dentists.
