Considering CEREC® Crowns? Here’s All You Need to Know

Crowns are one of the oldest dental procedures. From gold caps to one-day dental crowns in Coral Gables, dentistry has come a long way. With each new advancement, patients have more and better options to choose from.

For example, CEREC® dental crowns offer the shortest treatment times and are made with durable materials. Nevertheless, these crowns aren’t a perfect fit for everyone. To help you determine whether that’s your case, here’s all you need to know before getting a dental crown.

What Are Crowns?

A dental crown is a small, tooth-shaped cap fitted over a tooth that creates a perfect smile after the tooth has suffered damage from decay or trauma. It can be used to hide discoloration and misshaped teeth, protect broken teeth, hold dental bridges in place, or serve as the prosthetic tooth on a dental implant.

Crowns are manufactured for a specific tooth placement, so they’re custom-made to fit perfectly in terms of appearance and functionality. Besides helping improve the damaged tooth’s appearance, they provide solidity and make it stronger.

Crowns in dentistry fall into three main categories: porcelain fused to metal (PFM), all-porcelain, and all-metal. The classification is based on the type of materials used to manufacture them, such as:  

• Metals like gold
• Composite resin
• Zirconia
• Porcelain or glass ceramic
• Porcelain fused to metal (PFM)

Each has its own set of advantages. Deciding which one to use will depend on the tooth’s exact location, how much of it will show when you smile, your gum tissue, the color of the surrounding teeth, and, more importantly, the function of the tooth that needs the crown.

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Did you know? It has been discovered that some PFM crowns interfere with proton beam treatments for cancer in the head and neck. Your dentist considers this and many other factors before recommending a type of crown.

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What’s the Process for Getting a Crown?

The process for placing a dental crown depends on various factors, from the material used to the tooth’s localization and even the patient’s unique circumstances. However, here’s what the process commonly looks like:  

1. During your first consultation, your dentist will discuss the options available based on your condition and expectations.

2. The next step in getting a crown is preparing the tooth. This means removing old decay and filling it to make room for the coming crown. This is a necessary step to ensure the new restoration doesn’t interfere with your bite.  

3. A temporary rubber cap is placed to protect the prepared tooth and restore chewing function for the patient until the final crown is ready.  

4. With digital scans or traditional physical molds, your dentist will take an impression of your teeth, their size, placement, and every other necessary detail. Then, this impression is sent to the lab to design the crown.  

5. With ceramic and PFM crowns, an extra step of shading the restorations to match tooth color is necessary. This is avoided with gold crowns, though.  

6. Lastly, the tooth can be shaped further to ensure it’s a precise fit at all edges.  

Getting a crown is a permanent and irreversible procedure because your tooth needs to be filled in. If the crown accidentally breaks, it will have to be replaced as soon as possible.

What Makes CEREC® Crowns Different?

Unlike other types of crowns, CEREC® crowns are designed, made, and placed using computer-assisted technology. The name stands for “Chair-side crowns or ceramic restorations,” and, as it indicates, much of the process can be done in one visit.

CEREC® crowns fulfill the same objectives as traditional ones, but unlike them, they can be designed and placed more efficiently, thanks to advanced CAD/CAM technology.

This digital design software enables dental professionals to create digital dental prostheses based on a 3D image of your mouth. The prosthesis is then printed and placed in your mouth. The accuracy of these programs is superior to the traditional method of taking impressions, so the resulting crown is custom-made and natural-looking.

Additionally, CEREC® crowns are made of high-quality ceramics like porcelain or lithium disilicate, which are known for their strength and durability. They’re also very natural-looking, making them an excellent choice for restoring teeth.

Materials Used in CEREC® Crowns

Because CEREC® crowns are different than traditional crowns, patients often ask us about the quality of their material. However, this technology can design crowns from a variety of quality materials:

• Feldspar ceramics have properties very similar to a tooth’s natural enamel. They integrate perfectly in color with surrounding teeth and are a great option for inlays, onlays, and anterior and posterior crowns.

• Glass ceramics offer great strength as they can be processed by milling and polishing after being cemented in the mouth.
• Zirconia ceramics are the strongest all-ceramic dental restoration material on the market. They may not be as aesthetic as glass ceramic, but they’re available in 10 different shades of color you can match to your mouth.
• Lithium disilicate ceramics are very versatile and used for crowns, veneers, and implant abutments.

What’s the Process for Getting a CEREC® Crown?

The CEREC® crown’s process is very similar to other dental fixture treatments:

1. After examining your tooth, your dentist will discuss your available treatment options. If a CEREC® crown is advised, they will explain the procedure and answer any questions you might have.

2. The tooth receiving the crown will be prepared by removing a small amount of enamel to create space for the crown.

3. Your dentist will use a specialized camera to take exact impressions of the teeth surrounding your prepared tooth. With these, CAD/CAM programs create a 3D digital model.

4. Using the geometrical 3D model, your dentist will design a crown that precisely matches the shape, size, and color of your natural teeth.

5. The data will be sent off to another facility to create the crown out of a solid block of the chosen material.

6. Before permanently bonding the crown onto your prepared tooth, your dentist will check if it fits properly and make any necessary adjustments.

Benefits of CEREC® Crowns

Besides improved workflows, CEREC® crowns offer a wide range of benefits, such as:

• Convenience of a Single Visit: You can receive a permanent restoration in just one session.  
• Precise Fit: CEREC® crowns utilize computer programs to precisely fit your mouth and restore the functionality and ideal alignment of your teeth
• Natural Appearance: A CEREC® crown's shading is applied chairside, allowing dentists to precisely match the color of your natural teeth through comparison.
• Metal-Free: Because CEREC® crowns are completely free of metal, they are an excellent option for patients who are allergic to metal or who would rather have a more aesthetically pleasing restoration.  
• Biocompatible: The ceramic materials used in CEREC® crowns are biocompatible, which means that the body can tolerate them well and that there is a decreased chance of sensitivity or irritation.

Downsides of CEREC® Crowns

However, CEREC® crowns aren’t a perfect fit for anyone. Here are some downsides to take into consideration:

• Possibility of fracture: Patients with CEREC® crowns in the molars are more susceptible to fracture if they clench and grind their teeth excessively during the night or with a strong bite. In these cases, extra durable gold crowns are recommended.
• Incapacity to cover dark teeth: Due to their high translucency, some glass ceramic CEREC® crowns will let dark teeth show through the crown.  
• Lack of research: There is limited research in comparison to other materials.
• Bonding challenges: Patients with high salivary flow may face difficulties with the bonding process.

Caring for Your CEREC® Crowns

Maintaining oral hygiene and taking care of your CEREC® crown with good dental habits is crucial to guarantee their longevity and best performance. To help you achieve that, here are some tips:

• Use fluoride toothpaste and a soft toothbrush twice a day, along with daily flossing, to remove food particles and plaque.  
• Be careful when biting into ice cubes, hard candies, bones, and sticky foods like caramels or taffy.  
• Get a nightguard if you clench your teeth or grind them at night.
• Make time for regular dental checkups.
• Steer clear of staining substances such as red wine, tea, coffee, and tobacco.

Get CEREC® Dental Crowns in Coral Gables

CEREC® crowns were a revolutionary development in dental restorations. They can provide patients with a natural-looking ceramic crown, and are incredibly durable yet easy to care for. However, this doesn’t mean traditional types of crowns aren’t a good choice.

The material and technique used to create your dental crown depend on time and your unique mouth’s conditions. Here at Coral Gables Dentistry, we believe in offering custom, personalized treatments that perfectly adapt to you and only you.

If you’re interested in hearing more about it, schedule an appointment!