What Advantages Do CEREC Crowns Have Over Traditional Crowns?

CEREC® introduces machine-like precision to restorations like dental crowns and onlays. There are many advantages to the restorations that dentists can create with the help of computerized milling machines.

An explainer on CEREC® restorations

CEREC® systems employ computer-aided manufacturing and design. In brief, the process of fabricating a restoration with the system goes like this:

• A dentist will diagnose the patient and recommend a crown
• They will prepare the target tooth by removing a layer of enamel to make room for a crown
• Using an intra-oral scanner, the dentist takes images of the patient’s mouth and teeth
• The scanner connects to a computer with design software. This software receives the scans and renders a model of the patient’s teeth
• This same software allows the dentist to design a crown that sits snugly on the prepared tooth; they will ask for their patient’s input as they design the crown
• The dentist sends their design to a milling machine, which uses said design to carve a crown from a ceramic block

Thanks to the precision of the digital scan, the design stage, and the milling process, the resulting restoration has several benefits.

Speed

CEREC® is an acronym for Chair-side Economical of Esthetic Ceramic. The chair-side part of the acronym suggests that the dentist will create the crown as the patient waits.

This reduces the process of getting the crown down to a single visit. For dental practices that lack an in-office milling machine, the wait time still only comes down to two or three days. This is in contrast to traditional crowns, which can have a wait time of about 10 days.

Accurate fit

The only step of the CEREC® process that requires human precision is the intraoral scan, which requires the dentist to position and hold the scanner. The rest of the process is computer-aided, which results in accurate measurements of the patient’s teeth. This in turn, allows the dentist to create a crown that fits perfectly over a prepared tooth.

Strength and durability

Traditional, hand-crafted crowns are quite durable. However, the quality of the end product depends on the skill of the person who fabricates the restoration. This holds true for the shape and dimensions (fit) of the crown. It also holds true for the strength of the materials that go into the crown.

A technician who crafts a porcelain crown needs to hand-mix the different materials that go into the porcelain. They go on to shape the semi-solid mixture so it resembles the model of the prepared tooth. Lastly, they cure the crown with heat. If the technician makes a mistake in any of these stages, the porcelain could come out weaker than is ideal.

In contrast, a milling machine carves restorations out of solid ceramic blocks. The standard, controlled consistency of these blocks ensures that crowns that can last decades with proper care.

Get your smile back on track in record time with CEREC® crowns

The hassle of living with a temporary crown as you wait for the final product can be optional. If you are interested in getting a dental crown in a single dentist’s visit, get in touch with us.

Request an appointment here: https://jacksonheightdental.com or call 82nd St. Dental at (718) 709-3883 for an appointment in our Jackson Heights office.

Check out what others are saying about our services on Yelp: Read our Yelp reviews.