I’m thinking of getting a CEREC crown. Mostly, I’m thinking about it because my dentist is pushing it. It feels like he’s pushing it too hard. Are there any downsides to this I should be worried about?
Clarke
Dear Clarke,
Great question. It’s hard to trust someone when it feels like they’re sales pitching you, isn’t it? While I’m not sure what your dentist has told you, I can give you three things he may have not told you.
You Shouldn’t Pay Extra for the Convenience of CEREC Crowns
Yes, the dentist invested a lot of money to get the CEREC machine. They cost a dentist approximately $100,000. That’s quite a chunk of change. However, the dentist is saving on lab fees that he would otherwise have to pay using the traditional crowns, so it evens out… eventually.
CEREC Crowns are Not Ideal for Front Teeth
While traditional porcelain crowns are crafted from several blocks of porcelain, allowing the tooth to having varying hues of opacity, CEREC crowns are milled from a single block of porcelain.
While they can match your adjacent teeth and look quite natural in almost all cases, front teeth are different. They’re more up front and exposed to the natural light. Without those subtle changes in opacity, they won’t look quite as natural as other crowns.
You’ll Want to Consider Teeth Whitening
This only applies in two conditions: First, if the crown will be visible when you smile. Second, if you’ve ever considered whitening your teeth anyway
If you’re perfectly content with the color of your teeth, you can ignore this last bit. However, if you’ve toyed with the idea of whitening your teeth, it will be more cost effective for you to do it before you get your crown (CEREC or otherwise).
The color of a dental crown is permanent. Once it’s made, it won’t change. If you whiten your teeth beforehand, it can be made the color of your whiter teeth. If you wait until a later time, the crown will have to be re-made to match the rest of your teeth again.
This blog is brought to you by Kalamazoo Dentist Dr. Susan Dennis.