When it comes to dental care, time and convenience often play a huge role in how we perceive the experience. Imagine walking into a dental office with a broken tooth or damaged crown and walking out the same day with a perfectly fitted, natural-looking restoration.
This isn’t just a dream; it’s a reality, thanks to CEREC technology. At Sullivan Dental Partners in Nashville, TN, we’ve embraced this cutting-edge technology to provide our patients with high-quality, same-day dental care.
Let’s delve into how CEREC technology works, the detailed process of digital scanning, design, and milling, and how it streamlines dental treatments, making them more efficient and comfortable for you.
Why Are Same-Day Crowns Important?
If you’ve ever chipped or cracked your tooth, you know how frustrating it can be to hear you must wait for a dental crown to be sent to an outside lab, requiring multiple dental visits. It can take weeks and numerous visits to restore your smile, making traditional crowns frustrating.
CEREC (Chairside Economical Restoration of Esthetic Ceramics) has dramatically changed the dental crown process, making it possible to reclaim your smile in just one visit. This incredible technology increases your comfort and saves valuable time. And because we understand how valuable your time is, CEREC same-day crowns fit perfectly into your busy lifestyle.
The CEREC Process: From Scan to Smile
We use CEREC technology to precisely create dental restorations in one visit to our Brentwood office. Your new dental crown will be both durable and beautiful. The CEREC process consists of three steps:
Digital Scanning
We use in-office digital scanning to create detailed 3-D images of your teeth and gums. Instead of the messy, uncomfortable dental impressions that involve biting down on gooey material, we use a digital scanner.
To capture the images, we move a small device around the inside of your mouth, giving us real-time images of your mouth. This camera records the shape, size, and alignment of your teeth. Our digital scans are faster, cleaner, and more accurate, ensuring a perfect fit.
CAD Software
Our dentists then use the scans to digitally design your dental crown. We load the 3-D images into CEREC’s CAD (Computer-Aided Design) software. Then, we use the software to ensure your new crown matches the size, shape, and color of your other teeth.
You can view this digital model and provide input about your treatment, and the software precisely calculates the perfect contours, alignment, and aesthetics. This gives you a new tooth that looks and feels completely natural.
Milling Machine
Once we complete your crown design, it’s time to send it to the milling machine. We place a block of ceramic into our in-office milling machine, and it fabricates your crown while you wait comfortably in your treatment room.
In about 20 minutes, the milling machine sculpts your new crown, following the computerized specifications from the digital design. Once complete, we will polish your new crown to match the texture of your other natural teeth.
The last step involves bonding your crown to your tooth, adjusting the fit, and checking to make sure you can bite down comfortably.
How CEREC Streamlines Dental Treatment
The convenience of CEREC same-day crowns is obvious, but you can enjoy a wide range of benefits from this incredible technology:
- Saves time — With traditional crowns, you can expect at least two trips to the dentist. During your first visit, the dentist takes impressions and places a temporary crown. Then, you’ll have to wait for your new crown to return from the dental lab before returning to your dentist’s office so they can place your permanent crown. With CEREC, everything is completed in one visit!
- Improves comfort — With the digital scanning process, you won’t have to worry about the discomfort of traditional impressions. You also won’t have to endure an uncomfortable or unstable temporary crown.
- Offers protection — With the combination of digital scanning and CAD software, you know your crown will fit perfectly. This makes it unlikely you’ll have to return for adjustments or have complications with your new restoration.
- Provides durability — With CEREC crowns, you know you’re getting a strong, durable restoration. We use biocompatible ceramic, which is resistant to wear and long-lasting. Your dental crown will mimic your natural tooth and look beautiful.
