When teeth are damaged, it is common for your dentist to suggest a dental crown to restore your damaged teeth. A dental crown is a small tooth-shaped cap custom-made to the size, shape, and colour of your teeth. It is typically used to restore damaged teeth but is also used to cover dental implants or to complete a root canal treatment.
There are several types of dental crowns, such as metal alloy, composite resin, ceramic, porcelain, and CEREC (Chairside Economical Restoration of Esthetic Ceramics). Understanding the CEREC crowns pros and cons is helpful when deciding on your dental crowns.
What are CEREC Dental Crowns?
CEREC crowns are designed and created using innovative computer-assisted technology and 3D scanning techniques. After your teeth are prepared and scanned, the data is input into the CEREC software program, which makes a mock-up of your dental crown. This information is sent to our on-site milling machine, which creates the dental crown from a solid zirconia ceramic block.
The entire scanning and fabrication process takes as little as 15 minutes per crown, which means you can leave our dental practice with a fully restored smile in a single appointment.
CEREC Crowns Pros and Cons: The Benefits of CEREC Crowns
There are several benefits to consider when considering CEREC crowns, including their strength, appearance, and treatment time.
Stronger dental crowns
The CEREC material is sturdy and abrasion-resistant and can last longer than standard composite or porcelain crowns. CEREC crowns can last for many years if they are maintained and cared for effectively.
Same-day procedure
With traditional dental crowns, you may wait up to two weeks for your crown to be fabricated, but you can be fitted with your new CEREC crown on the same day. No temporary crowns are required while waiting for your permanent crown to be made.
More aesthetic than other crowns
CEREC crowns are made using technology that creates exact replicas of the teeth they are replacing. This ensures that the crown perfectly meets the gumline and blends with your other teeth.
The zirconia ceramic material also has the same translucent lustre as your natural tooth enamel. This means that the light reflects off your dental crown, giving a more realistic appearance.
CEREC crowns are less invasive
Traditional crown fitting involves impression taking, which can be time consuming and messy. For some patients, it can even be gag-inducing. The polyvinyl siloxane material used to make the mould of the tooth causes this involuntary reaction.
Using digital imaging techniques to create 3D images of the restoration area is minimally invasive. Patients are less uncomfortable as a result.
CEREC Crowns Pros and Cons: The Drawbacks of CEREC Crowns
Like every procedure, there are some drawbacks to consider when deciding on CEREC crowns.
Unsuitable for some restorations
If your tooth has been broken below the gum line, CEREC crowns may not be the right option to restore your smile. CEREC cameras cannot take digital images below the gum line, so your dentist may recommend a traditional dental crown instead.
Slightly less durable than metal crowns
They are designed to withstand intense bite pressure from the premolars and molars, so they are often used for restorations at the back of the dental arch.
Compared to metal crowns, CEREC crowns are slightly more prone to cracking or chipping if exposed to extreme pressure or facial trauma, making them less suitable for molar restorations, especially for people who grind and clench their teeth.
Limited colour options
Porcelain and PFM crowns fabricated off-site are crafted by technicians who can create a perfect colour match for your teeth. Although your dentist can help you choose a zirconia ceramic block that closely matches your natural tooth shade, there are limited block colours to choose from. This means that the CEREC dental crown may not completely blend with the teeth on either side.
More expensive
CEREC crowns typically cost slightly more than crowns made from other materials due to the technology used to craft them.
However, at Available Dental Care, we believe that everyone should have access to affordable dental treatments. We have partnered with ZipPay and the National Dental Plan so we can offer payment plans that allow you to make affordable weekly or monthly repayments to cover the cost of your dental crown treatment.
Schedule a Dental Consultation with Available Dental Care
Deciding on which type of dental crown is most suitable for you can be a challenging process. Our team of qualified dentists are highly experienced in CEREC crown treatments and can help you decide on which crown is right for you.
To find out more about CEREC crowns or to book a dental appointment, contact Available Dental Care on (02) 4062 8763 today.
Note: Any surgical or invasive procedure carries risks. Before proceeding, you should seek a second opinion from an appropriately qualified health practitioner.
References
What You Need to Know About CEREC Dental Crowns
https://www.healthline.com/health/what-you-need-to-know-about-cerec-dental-crowns#benefits
Evaluation of Cerec endocrowns: a preliminary cohort study
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25134368/
CEREC CAD/CAM CHAIRSIDE SYSTEM
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4402686/pdf/1_cerec.pdf
Dental crown procedure
https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/dental-crown-procedure#benefits-risks