Same Day Dental Crowns

Utilizing the CEREC 3D technology, Dr. Kim can fabricate your crowns and onlayswhile you wait in about an hour. The CEREC can be used to replace old failing restorations, broken teeth and old mercury fillings with tooth colored porcelain restorations in just one visit.

The Traditional Crown Preparation Procedure

In traditional crowns procedures, you get an injection to numb the area, thenyour tooth is prepared. An unpleasant tasting impression is then taken and has to sit in your mouth for at least 5 minutes. If the impression is off a little then an entirely new impression has to be taken again. Once a good impression is taken, a temporary is made and then temporarily cemented to your tooth. Because the temporary has to be removed again at a later appointment, a weakercement has to be used. Because of this reason, sometimes these temporaries can fall off at awkward moments. This can lead to some sensitivity and discomfort because the tooth can become uncomfortable once the temporary is off. That would then require another visit, often times during off hours to recent the temporary. Once the final restoration is completed, you have to return to the dentist and may need another injection for the cementation due to sensitivity. In our busy lives, all these potential problems can be eliminated with the CEREC 3D.

The CEREC 3D Restoration

For the CEREC procedure, you still have to get numb. Once numbed, the tooth is prepared the same way as the traditional method. The CEREC utilizes a special camera to take a digital impression of the tooth instead of the traditional sticky unpleasant impression material. This impression then gets transferred to the computer where Dr. Kim utilized the CAD program to design the new restoration. Once the design is completed, then the milling unit fabricates your new porcelain restoration while you take a short ten to fifteen minute break. Once completed, the new restoration is then bonded into the prepared tooth and then you’re finished! The traditional second appointment is no longer necessary. The problems of loose or broken temporaries along with the potential second injection at the seating appointment are eliminated!

Other Advantages of CEREC 3D

The special porcelain used in the CEREC arespecially designed to closely resemble our own natural enamel. It expands and contracts at nearly the same rate and wears down about the same rate as our own enamel. The traditional porcelains used fabricated at the lab use a different process so oftentimes they are more abrasive to our teeth. Gold is a great restorative material that also closely mimics human enamel but because of the esthetics, it’s becoming less popular. Especially considering that the modern materials virtually blend in with our own teeth. And because of this technology, Dr. Kim can preserve as much of your healthy tooth structure as possible.