I’m in need of a crown. My dentist said I can get a CEREC crown in one appointment or a traditional crown in two. I can’t decide. The idea of one appointment is appealing, but can it really be as good if it’s made so much more quickly? This will be my first dental crown so I don’t have a lot of experience either way.
Betty
Dear Betty,
CEREC crowns can look natural
I hate it when dentists give patients choices without thoroughly explaining the options. This causes the patient to have doubts. Let me walk you through the differences.
Manufacturing a CEREC versus Traditional Crown
The biggest advantage to a CEREC crown is it utilizes CAD/CAM technology. This stands for “Computer Aided Design/Computer Aided Manufacturing”. A computer essentially makes a 3-Dimensional map of your mouth and designs then mills a crown. This generally can be done in around an hour.
With traditional porcelain crowns, your dentist sends instructions to a lab. It takes them around two weeks to complete the crown. You will wear a temporary in the meantime. This won’t be as aesthetic as the final crown, but it is a way to protect your tooth in the meantime. It isn’t recommended that you eat anything very sticky because they’re not securely bonded. Instead, they’re designed to be easily removable.
The Cost of CEREC Crowns
Traditional and CEREC crowns cost about the same. While the dentist doesn’t have lab fees, the CEREC machines cost a pretty penny. The cost works out about the same for the dentist with both types of crowns.
One tip when it comes to any restoration which is visible when you smile. Make certain your dentist tries it in with a temporary try in paste. Make sure you like how it looks before your dentist permanently bonds it on. If you don’t like it, he or she should be willing to send it back to the lab (or CEREC machine) to try again.
This blog is brought to you by Kalamazoo Dentist Dr. Susan Dennis.