Dental Crowns – Same Day Crowns

A dental crown is a restoration that covers, or caps, a tooth to restore it to its normal shape and size. Its purpose is to strengthen or improve the appearance of a tooth. A crown is placed for a number of reasons:

• to restore a tooth that has very large caries (cavity),
• to support a large filling when there is not enough tooth structure remaining,
• to protect week teeth from fracturing,
• to restore fractured teeth, to cosmetically improve a smile (badly shaped or discolored teeth),
• to cover a dental implant when a tooth is missing.

At Virginia Family Dental we use gold and porcelain crowns. Since aesthetics is a high priority at our clinic we generally use porcelain ceramic crowns. A crown is a very strong permanent restoration. It is used basically when a filling or bonding is not strong enough to withstand the pressures of chewing. It is also used in cosmetic situations along with another restoration called a Veneer to improve patients’ appearance and smiles. Traditionally crowns are completed in two appointments, however with CEREC technology and the use of computer software, we are now able to complete dental crowns in one appointment.

CEREC TECHNOLOGY for Single Visit Restorations

CEREC is a revolutionary way to restore damaged teeth in a single visit, making your teeth beautiful, and stronger than before! We offer technology that will save you time and more of your original tooth with convenience and comfort.

CEREC allows us to quickly and economically restore your damaged teeth using a durable ceramic material that matches the natural color of other teeth in your mouth. CEREC is an acronym for: Chairside Economical Restoration of Esthetic Ceramics

What Advantages Does CEREC Offer me?

First and foremost, the entire restoration can be performed in a single session, usually in about one hour. With CEREC there’s no need for us to make an impression and send it to a lab. We won’t inconvenience you by asking you to return for a second visit. Secondly, the restoration is natural looking, because it is made of tooth-colored ceramic material. It’s metal-free -no silver fillings to discolor your smile! The ceramic material is compatible with the tissue in your mouth and is high-grade, anti-abrasive, and plaque resistant. It allows us to be extremely precise and save more of the healthy part of your tooth.

How Does CEREC Work?

First we prepare the damaged tooth by applying a thin layer of reflective powder directly on the tooth’s surface. Using a special camera, we can take a picture of the tooth. We work with this photo, which is actually a pin-sharp optical impression of the tooth. Then CEREC creates an extremely precise restoration. A high-speed diamond bur and a disk work simultaneously to mill the restoration out of a solid block of ceramic material. Finally, we bond the newly milled restoration to the tooth using state-of-the-art adhesive dentistry.

Virginia Family Dental offers comprehensive dental care including dental crowns.  For more information, call today at (218) 741-0405 to schedule a consultation with one of our dentists.