When we offer our patients dental restorations, we want them to be available as quickly as possible. Streamlining the porcelain crown procedure allows you to return to regular life with a stunning new smile after just one day of dental work. The CEREC single-day crown technology uses a computer to design and mill porcelain crowns in-office.
The state-of-the-art CEREC system was developed at the University of Zurich in Switzerland, and CEREC technology has benefitted from a decade of clinical research and experience. We are excited to be leading the field of same-day crown placement in Macomb County.
How CEREC Crowns Are Made
After preparing your tooth for the crown, we will coat the area with reflective powder. When exposed to a digital infrared camera, this powder allows us to create a 3D impression. We next utilize CAD/CAM (computer assisted design and milling) technology to create crowns from those digital images. Our doctors and staff are able to make adjustments to the crown to customize it in any way, and our milling machine will have the crown ready in about a half hour.
While our doctors will place the finishing touches on the crown, having precise software and machinery fabricate the crown first removes the opportunity for human error – and speeds up your treatment.
Standard Crowns Versus CEREC Crowns
Typical porcelain crowns must be made in a dental lab, meaning you’ll need to visit the office twice to complete treatment. CEREC crowns are milled in our own office, within the span of your appointment. This fabrication shortcut offers the following advantages:
- No need to wear a temporary crown – Temporaries can be a hassle. Rendering them unnecessary will save you time and effort. You’ll only need to wait about 30 minutes after your tooth is prepared, and we will then seat the permanent crown.
- We are able to make adjustments to the crown as needed – Because the crown is fabricated in our office, our doctors have complete control of the process.
- Crowns within a single appointment – You won’t need to schedule a second visit and spend more time in the dental chair. Your restoration will be complete in just one day.
- Environmentally friendly – Rather than shipping back and forth with a lab, we create the crown in-office, cutting down on packaging and use of resources.
CEREC Treatment Steps
- We prepare the tooth that will receive a crown.
- The prepared area is coated with a special reflective powder.
- Our staff takes a digital impression of the area with an infrared camera.
- You spend the next hour or so as you please, running errands or relaxing in our office.
- Dr. Hoffman uses CEREC’s milling technology to determine the crown’s specifics.
- The milling machine creates the crown from the digital image and Dr. Hoffman’s input.
- Once the crown is complete, Dr. Hoffman puts any finishing touches in place.
- The crown is seated in your mouth and bonded to your natural tooth. We ensure the look and fit are both comfortable and natural.
If you’d like to learn more about single day crowns, just give our office a call at 586-580-7517.
