$89 NEW PATIENT
SPECIAL
Comprehensive Exam
Bitewing X-Rays
Professional Cleaning
Cosmetic or Implant Consultation
Not valid with insurance submission. Does not apply with periodontal disease.
Same Day Crowns
A recent innovation available in the offices of some cosmetic dentists is the "Computer-Assisted Design - Computer-Assisted Manufacture" crown, or "CAD-CAM." The
company that is foremost in this technology is Cerec. This crown is milled by a computer to fit your tooth precisely, thus eliminating the laboratory step in manufacturing the crown. Examine the pros and cons of this system.
CEREC – A One Visit Procedure
To have a traditional crown applied takes two visits to the dentist. During the first visit, you will receive an injection of anesthesia so that your tooth can be prepared and an impression taken. A temporary restoration will then be put on your tooth. A couple of weeks later, during the second appointment, you will receive another injection so that the temporary tooth can be removed and the permanent restoration applied. With CEREC, the procedure is done in a single appointment, start to finish!
How The Crown Is Made
The CEREC Acquisition Unit is mobile and houses a computer and the CEREC camera. The camera will take a digital picture of your prepared tooth and this picture is used instead of a traditional impression. The computer and CEREC 3D software converts the digital picture to a three dimensional virtual model of your prepped tooth. Your dentist then designs your restoration right on screen using the software while you wait. This software can assist your dentist with designing any single tooth restoration such as, crowns, inlays and onlays, and veneers.
Once your dentist has designed your restoration (about 5 minutes), he or she clicks a button, and the design data is communicated via a wireless radio signal to the CEREC Milling Unit. Your dentist selects a ceramic block that matches the shade of the tooth being repaired. He or she then inserts the block into the Milling Unit. The data from the Acquisition Unit is used to direct two diamond coated burs to carve the block into the indicated shape of the restoration. This process usually takes 8 to 18 minutes depending on the size and type of restoration. After the milling is finished, your dentist polishes the finished filling or crown and bonds it into place.
