3 Reasons To Consider Same-Day Crowns
If you've ever had a crown placed over one of your teeth before, you know that the process usually involves at least two visits to the dentist and the placement of a temporary crown before you get your permanent one. However, there is a new procedure for installing crowns that can allow you to get a permanent crown the same day. These same-day crowns are also called CEREC crowns. CEREC stands for Chairside Economical Restoration of Esthetic Ceramics. As the name suggests, CEREC machines allow crowns to be created right there beside the dentist's chair. Take a look at a few reasons why CEREC may be right for you.
More Attractive Teeth
CEREC crowns are made entirely of ceramic, eliminating the need for metal. While metal crowns are perfectly functional and safe, they're often considered less attractive than ceramic.
Ceramic crowns more closely resemble your natural enamel, making them an aesthetically preferable option, particularly for highly-visible front teeth. CEREC machines can match the crown exactly to the shade of your natural teeth.
Less Wasted Time and Money
Every hour you spend at the dentist's office is an hour off work or away from another activity or obligation. Having to return to the dentist's office several times for one procedure may mean getting time off at work approved for more than one day, hiring a babysitter for more than one day, or filling the car with gas to drive out of your way more than once in a short time-span.
Any way you look at it, multiple dental appointments cost you money, over and above what you're spending on the dental procedure. Getting everything done in one appointment saves time, and time is money.
Saves More Natural Teeth
The machine used in the CEREC procedure takes a digital scan of your tooth and then is used to mill the crown on the spot, using the exact specifications provided by the digital scan. This allows the dentist to preserve as much of your natural tooth structure as possible, which is the healthiest option for your jaw.
This also allows the dentist to use the machine to create inlays or onlays. These are partial crowns, used when you need more coverage than a filling will provide but less than a full crown. Thanks to the more accurate digital measurements provided by the CEREC machine, teeth that might once have required a full crown might now be candidates for only a partial crown.
Not every dentist offers same-day crowns. If you know that one of your damaged teeth will probably need a crown, be sure to make an appointment with a dentist in your area that offers CEREC crowns.
