Keeping up with the latest advances in dental technology allows us to offer the most comfortable, efficient care possible. The next time you have a broken, damaged, or worn down tooth and need a dental crown, you can benefit from CEREC. This technology enables Dr. Kennington to provide same-day crowns — saving you time and stress while also restoring your smile beautifully for years and years to come.
What Is CEREC?
CEREC stands for “chairside economical restoration of esthetic ceramics.” It is a way for your dentist to plan for, prepare, and place your dental crown — all in a single visit, and all from the comfort of our dental practice. This advanced tool uses CAD/CAM (computer-aided design and manufacturing) technology to create a sturdy porcelain dental crown that fits your unique dentition just right.
CEREC vs. Traditional Crowns
The process for a traditional dental crown takes place over the course of about two weeks, with two separate visits to your dentist’s office. During the first visit, the tooth is prepared and a vinyl impression is taken. Your treatment plan is sent to an outside laboratory, where the crown is manufactured. The process takes about two weeks, and you will wear a temporary crown during the time between visits.
With CEREC, you do not have to worry about wearing an uncomfortable or ill-fitting temporary crown, and you can save your vacation day or sick leave for when you really need them. CEREC offers a big savings in time and stress overall — and we know you will appreciate the difference.
Some of the other improvements of CEREC compared to traditional crowns include:
- A CEREC crown is milled from 100% dental porcelain, for the most natural-looking result
- CEREC is integrated with digital scanning equipment, which eliminates the need for those uncomfortable bite-down impressions
- Treatment planning is improved because your dentist has control of the whole process from beginning to end.
- Studies show that we can expect a CEREC crown to last for just as long as one prepared in a separate lab
What If a Crown Comes Off?
With proper care and excellent oral hygiene, your CEREC crown should stay sturdy and healthy for years and years to come. In the unlikely event that a crown comes off, however, stay calm, collect any larger pieces for possible reattachment, and contact our office right away. This is usually not an emergency, but we will schedule a time for you to come in to fix the problem. Sometimes the tooth will be sensitive, sometimes not, but with the crown off, there is always the risk that neighboring teeth will shift. If that happens, the crown may no longer fit and a new one may be required. If, for some reason, you can’t make it to the office for a few days, we may recommend a solution for temporarily re-attaching the crown — but wait for our advice. After you come in, we’ll have you fixed up and on your way in no time!
Meet the Dentist
Dr. L. Blaine Kennington, DDS is a trusted restorative dentist offering advanced solutions, including with CEREC same-day crowns. To learn more about his services or to schedule an appointment for a dental crown, you are invited to contact the office by calling 360-274-9100 today!