What is the average amount of time you’ll have to wait for a permanent dental crown? The permanent crown is placed after we’ve prepared the tooth, taken an impression and designed the restoration. Three weeks? Four weeks? How about 90 minutes?
If you’ve ever had a dental crown before, 90 minutes may seem like nothing but a pipe dream. It’s not at Kirchner Dental. We can prepare teeth and place permanent dental crowns in one short visit using technology known as CEREC. The CEREC technology includes a special milling and CAD/CAM technology so we can complete every step of the process right in the office (Most dental offices use outside labs to build permanent restorations). Below are some of the biggest benefits of same-day crowns.
Same-Day crowns are fast!
How are same-day crowns so much faster than traditional crowns? Well, the big difference is the dental lab and lab fees. Most dental offices do not have a dental lab and use outside labs to build restorations like crowns and bridges. CEREC brings the lab to you. Once we have the digital impression, we send it to the special CEREC milling machine right in the office. You can sit in the chair while the restoration is being developed. The CEREC crowns and bridges are made from solid chunks of ceramic material.
A traditional crown placement can take between two and three visits, whereas CEREC crowns take only about 90 minutes. You can sit and watch a movie, read a book, or catch up on work.
CEREC crowns are precise
One the biggest factors in determining the success of a crown is the fit. An ill-fitting crown can be cause problems with surrounding teeth or make it difficult to keep the crown clean. We use digital impressions to ensure that we find the perfect fit for your crown. Not only do digital impressions eliminate the need for goopy materials, but they also give us a precise measurement of the tooth. Digital material eliminates all the guesswork. We know the exact fit of the crown, down to the millimeter.
No more temporary crowns
One of the biggest hassles of traditional crowns is needing a temporary crown. A temporary crown is necessary because the dentists must prepare the tooth to design the permanent restoration. So, if we prepare the tooth for the impression and have no permanent crown to place, we can need to set a temporary crown. A temporary crown is typically made from acrylic material, which is far from lifelike. These temporary crowns also are smaller than the permanent restorations, as well. Unlike permanent crowns, temporary crowns have a few food restrictions and it’s possible that the crowns can dislodge. It’s not common, but it can happen. And you can bet it will happen at the worst possible time — At work, the weekend, or while on vacation.
Let us restore your mouth
At Kirchner Dental, we are here to help you through any dental problem. We can help you get your dental health back on track. Give us a call today at 812-913-6093 (Jeffersonville) 812-884-8304 (New Albany) 502-430-3451 (St. Matthews) or use our to book an appointment.