CEREC Crown vs Traditional Crown

Has your dentist recently discussed with you your options for getting a new dental crown? Sure, a dental crown in a dental crown. You may be wondering: what is the real difference between the types of crowns your dentist has suggested? Deciding what type of dental crown is the best for you can be a tough decision. The best place to start is to do a little research and get a better understanding of what the differences are between a CEREC crown and a traditional crown. Once you have a better understanding of the differences you can make an informed choice of which type of crown is the best fit for you.

What Exactly is a CEREC Crown?

CEREC crowns are made with the latest technology that is completely changing the dental industry. CEREC technology, short for Chairside Economical Restoration of Esthetic Ceramics, uses computer-assisted design (CAD) and computer-assisted manufacturing (CAM) to design and custom-make dental crowns. With CEREC, your dentist will use an optical scanner to take 3D pictures of your entire mouth. Next, using specialized software your dentist will turn these 3D pictures into a complete 3D digital model of your mouth. This model serves as virtual cast for the crown to be designed and made. Once the design is set, your dentist will actually manufacture the crown using a 3D printer or mill. The result of CEREC technology is a completely unique and personalized custom-designed and custom-made crown.

What Are the Benefits of a CEREC Crown Over a Traditional Crown

One of the biggest reasons why CEREC is changing the dental industry is because it is so popular with the patient population. There are many benefits of the new CEREC crowns over a traditional crown. Some of these benefits include:

  • Saves YOUR time. The process of getting a traditional crown made involves several visits to the dental office. For the first visit, you will need to have measurements taken and a putty impression made. Next, weeks later, you will return to the office to have the new crown fitted and adjusted. With CEREC crowns, all of these steps happen in just one visit to your dentist’s office. Your time is saved by reducing your visits AND you don’t have to wait the multiple days or weeks for the crown to be made by a dental lab.
  • No temporary crown. With a traditional crown, your dentist would likely fit a temporary crown in your mouth while you wait for the dental lab to make your custom crown. Getting a temporary crown fit can be uncomfortable and annoying. With CEREC crowns you can completely forget about needing a temporary crown.
  • Best possible fit. Yes, with traditional crowns your dentist will go through the process of making you have a perfect impression, then your dental lab builds a crown that is well made for you, and then your crown will fit just right. But, because CEREC crowns are made using a 3D image of your mouth, they offer exceptional fit. All of those little details about your mouth that may not be noticed with a traditional impression can make a big difference when it comes to the perfect fit. The CEREC process notices these details and integrates them into making a custom crown that is perfect for you.

More on CEREC Technology : How Long Do CEREC Crowns Last?