Dental crowns have played an important role through the years in saving teeth that might have otherwise been lost. Without them, the only answer might have been to have these teeth extracted and either replaced by dentures or simply have a gap where the missing tooth once was. If you have ever been struck in the mouth with an object and ended up with a chipped or broken tooth as a result, you may have received a dental crown. Likewise, crowns can be used to save teeth that are so severely decayed that normal fillings are not feasible. You may have even gotten a crown if you had a root canal performed. Whatever the reason, dental crowns play a vital part in maintaining good dental health.
Traditional crowns are made when impressions are taken of the mouth and sent off to an outside lab. The lab then fabricates the crown and sends it to the dentist’s office. After the office receives it, the patient is scheduled for another visit, during which the crown is put into place. The waiting time is typically 2-3 weeks. In the meantime, a temporary crown is used. One of the downsides of temporary crowns is that they are not meant to be long-lasting. As a result, they often do not stay in place until the permanent crown arrives. This can cause frustration on the part of patients. These crowns are not likely to match up aesthetically with the other teeth. Even though they are not meant to stay in for very long, they can be a bit conspicuous for the time they are present.
CEREC crowns provide a number of advantages. First, they are made right here in our office while the patient is present. There is no need to send impressions off to an outside lab and wait for the finished product to be sent back. CEREC saves the waiting time. It also eliminates the need for the patient to come back in for a second time to have the crown put in place. This is a tremendous time saver for patients. The only waiting involved with the CEREC crowns is the minutes it takes to machine the crown. Everything is done in just one visit.
The traditional way of making impressions that are to be used for the fabrication of traditional dental crowns can be a bit messy and aggravating. This mess is not necessary when choosing CEREC crowns. With them, a three-dimensional image is taken of the mouth and teeth with the data fed into the machine that will make the crown. That way, the exact dimensions are available without the mess involved in getting them. The crown is milled from a piece of porcelain stock and is ready within mere minutes.
If you have one or more teeth that need crowns in order to be saved, ask Dr. Latha Subramanian, DDS about the possibility of CEREC crowns. While they may not be the best answer in every situation, she can let you know what to expect in your particular case. Contact us today to schedule a consultation at our office in Mountain View.
