Cosmetic Dentistry

Cosmetic Dentistry - Dental Crowns

Crowns are a type of dental restoration which, when cemented into place, generally fully cover the portion of a tooth that is exposed above the gums. Since dental crowns cover the visible portion of a tooth, a crown in effect becomes the new outer surface of the tooth. Crowns can be made out of porcelain, metal, or a combination of both.

Historically a crown procedure is a two appointment process. During the first appointment the dentist prepares the tooth, makes a molded impression of the teeth to send to a dental laboratory, then a temporary crown is fabricated which is worn for a 2 week period while the permanent crown is made. Generally a crown is made in at a dental laboratory by technicians that can visualize and examine all aspects of your bite and jaw movements, from a variety of angles, and then sculpt your dental crown so that it fits perfectly. During the second appointment the dentist will customize the fit and esthetics of the crown followed by permanently cementing it in place.

Modern 3D CAD (Computer Aided Design) software and CAM (Computer Aided Manufacturing) technological advances have taken crown fabrication to new levels. The CEREC® crown-in-a-day technology (computer-aided design/manufacturing technology) has evolved to display a computer generated 3-D picture of a tooth upon which a restoration is then created through the milling of a ceramic block while the patient waits it the dental office. Many crowns can be fabricated utilizing this process. Restorations created using CEREC® technology offer dental patients a long-lasting, esthetic alternative to silver or plastic fillings, crowns and veneers. Better yet, the patient can receive this smile-altering care in a shorter period of time. Traditional approaches often required a return appointment after the patient waited for the restoration to be manufactured in a separate lab. On-site milling eliminates the wait. CEREC® restorations are as durable as traditionally fabricated restorations and are similar to patients’ natural dentition in form and function.Through the use of this technology the fabrication of a dental crown can be a single appointment procedure, and no longer requires the patient to be forced to wear a temporary crown for the two week period that it would typically take for the lab to fabricate the permanent crown.

Why would one need a dental crown?

-To protect a weak tooth (for instance, from decay) from breaking

-To hold together parts of a cracked tooth

-To restore an already broken tooth or a tooth that has been severely worn

-To cover and support a tooth weakened with a large filling

-To hold a dental bridge in place

-To cover misshaped or severely discolored teeth

-To cover a dental implant