All About Cerec® Dental Crowns

Dental crowns are one of the most popular types of indirect dental restorations. Crowns protect a severely weakened or damaged tooth, but as an indirect restoration, crowns are fabricated entirely outside of your mouth (unlike a filling). Traditionally, this process requires many steps, including sending out impressions to a lab where the crown was made. This process, while effective, requires at least two appointments and the need for a temporary crown.

With CEREC® technology, you no longer have to wait weeks for your dental crown. These crowns are made right here in our Hercules, California, office. 

Below, Dr. Lovely Manlapaz Teodoro highlights everything you need to know about CEREC dental crowns.

Learn more about CEREC dental crowns

CEREC crowns differ from traditional crowns in a few ways. Most notably, CEREC crowns are fabricated differently, but that’s not the only difference.

Let’s take a look at the material, fabrication process, and maintenance of CEREC crowns.

The material

Traditional crowns can be made of many different materials, such as all-porcelain, porcelain fused to metal, resin, gold, and stainless steel. CEREC crowns are composed of ceramic as hinted by their name, “CEREC'' which is a blend of the two words “ceramic reconstruction.” 

That being said, some people refer to CEREC as an acronym for Chairside Economical Restoration of Esthetic Ceramic. Regardless of which nomenclature you use, the truth remains: CEREC crowns provide chairside ceramic reconstructions to restore your tooth to good health. 

The fabrication process

In the not-so-distant past, the only process for receiving a crown was to:

• Prep your tooth
• Take impressions of your tooth with a physical mold 
• Receive a temporary crown
• Send the mold to a lab
• Wait for the lab to make the crown and return it
• Remove the temporary crown and install the new one

This process meant you’d have to return for multiple appointments and wait potentially weeks for your new crown. Because CEREC crowns are created chairside, the waiting period is eliminated. That’s why CEREC crowns are often called same-day crowns. 

The only way same-day crowns are possible is because we utilize chairside technology to design and create your new crown digitally. There’s no need to take messy physical impressions or wait for a third-party lab to make your crown.

Dr. Teodoro uses computer-aided design (CAD) and computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) to create your new crown. Together CAD-CAM enables Dr. Teodoro to take highly detailed digital images of your tooth, design your crown with cutting-edge software, and then manufacture the crown — all right here in our Hercules office. 

Seating your restoration

“Seating your restoration” refers to the process of permanently securing your new crown in your mouth. CEREC crowns are permanently cemented in place, just like a traditional crown would be. This process enables you to receive your permanent crown in one appointment without the hassle of messy physical impressions or a temporary crown.

Benefits of CEREC dental crowns

Your CEREC crown is a sturdy restoration that improves the look and function of your mouth. 

Here are five more reasons to consider a CEREC crown:

1. Same-day crowns fit easily into any schedule without the need to return for multiple appointments 
2. They’re metal-free, which is beneficial for those struggling with metal sensitivities 
3. CEREC dental crowns are aesthetically pleasing and can be color-matched 
4. The entire process is more comfortable since you don’t need an impression or a temporary crown
5. CEREC technology allows for more of your tooth material to be preserved as it’s prepped for the crown

The takeaway: CEREC crowns provide the same benefits as a traditional crown — strengthening a weakened tooth, improving the functionality of your mouth, and boosting your self-confidence — with the added perks of convenience and comfort.

Caring for your new dental crown

More good news: Same-day crowns are easy to maintain. Because dental crowns are permanently secured to your tooth, there’s no need to remove or soak them. You can care for your crown as you would your natural teeth: brushing twice a day with a soft-bristled toothbrush, flossing daily, using mouthwash, and scheduling regular dental cleanings.

As with any crown, you can prevent chips in your new CEREC crown by refraining from chewing on nonfood items (such as pen caps), biting ice, or using your teeth as tools to open packages.

If you need a crown and would like to experience the benefits of CEREC technology for yourself, call our Hercules, California, office to request an appointment today.