Digital Dentistry: One-Visit Porcelain Crowns with CEREC
The age of digital dentistry is truly upon us, and it’s an exciting time. But beyond the hi-tech features, what you want to know is the answer to a simple question: “So What’s In It For Me?” So just what IS in it for you that our office offers the CEREC AC Bluecam CAD/CAM system? Simple: CONVENIENCE and COMFORT!
When it comes to porcelain dental crowns, who really wants to go back to the dentist a second time to get your crown put in? C’mon………it’s ok to tell the truth……NONE of you do! Trust me, I know, ’cause many of you have told me so. And having gone through the process of getting 8 porcelain veneers myself, I didn’t look forward to the second appointment, either. With our CEREC system, there is no second appointment. In a single dental visit, even if you need 3-5 dental crowns, you can literally have them all completed in just 1 visit. When you walk out, you’re DONE! How nice would that be? Hmmmmmmmmm?
But beyond the convenience of avoiding a second appointment for yourself, in today’s economy, who can afford to take off work multiple times for appointments? Even those who can do so would prefer not to, right? It’s a lot easier to tell your boss that you only need ONE appointment to get your crown than asking for 2 times off in just a few weeks. And if you happen to need 3 crowns (just as an example), you can still just take ONE appointment, not 6 visits. Even if you did all 3 at once the old-fashioned way, you’re still saving time and staying on the job.
As for Comfort, not only does this mean just 1 appointment, but because the impression is digital, that means no more gooey impressions!
Examples of 1-Visit Crowns, Veneers, and Onlays with CEREC Cad/cam:
Steve originally had his veneers done in our office over 8 years ago, just in time for a big high school reunion. In the meantime, though, he was diagnosed with Sleep Apnea and now wears a Somnomed nightguard that helps keep him breathing easily at night. Only problem - that really hard nightguard was too tight and broke 2 of his veneers when he took it out - the right side eye-tooth and the incisor just in front. With CEREC, we made 2 beautiful new porcelain veneers right in our office, just 2.5 hours start-to-finish!
Linda had a similar situation: her veneer was 5 years old when she broke it on a hard crust. In just 90 minutes, we had made and bonded a new porcelain veneer to maintain her beautiful smile!
Jeff had an old silver amalgam filling that almost needed a crown, but since CEREC allows us to be more conservative, we made an Emax porcelain onlay in 1 visit that looks totally natural. While it was being made, we did a silver filling on the tooth next to it. The new and the old together - both should last Jeff a VERY long time.
What's also amazing about the CEREC AC Bluecam system, is that it can take digital impressions for dental bridges that still have to be done by a dental lab. Way more comfortable, way faster, and even more accurate than the old-fashioned way of making crowns and bridges.