For many years, the process for designing and placing a dental crown required at least two appointments. Patients had to wear a temporary crown between their appointments while they waited weeks for a dental laboratory to fabricate their permanent one. This could be inconvenient in a number of different ways. Today, that has changed. Here at Cornerstone Dental, we have invested in CEREC technology. This remarkable equipment allows us to design and create high-quality same-day crowns in Fargo.
CEREC is an acronym that stands for Chairside Economical Restorations of Esthetic Ceramics. That may sound like quite a mouthful, but the concept behind CEREC is actually relatively simple. We use a digital scanner to capture a three-dimensional representation of your mouth. Then, your dentist in Fargo uses that impression, along with advanced software, to design your crown. After the design is finalized, our in-house milling unit fabricates the restoration out of a single block of dental-grade porcelain.
The CEREC process is similar to the traditional crown process in a few ways. For example, it begins with preparation of the tooth that will receive the crown. This usually requires the removal of a bit of enamel. Once the tooth is ready, we take all necessary impressions. For a traditional crown, you would then be fitted for a temporary restoration — but temporary restorations are not necessary with CEREC.
While we work to design and fabricate your same-day crown, you may take advantage of our comfortable waiting room, or you may choose to leave the office for a while and come back later that day. When your crown is ready, we will verify its fit before we permanently attach it to your tooth.
CEREC technology offers numerous benefits, including:
If you have an old crown that you would like to replace, or you are experiencing symptoms that may indicate the need for a new crown, it is likely that you are a candidate for a CEREC restoration. Our team will be happy to help you take advantage of this remarkable technology. Contact us today to learn more or to schedule your consultation.