Single visit crowns

I thought over the next few columns that I would talk about some of the technology that is leading edge and available now in dentistry. I wrote earlier about dental crowns, explaining the details of what crowns are and also why a crown might be required. I talked about the benefits of the treatment, but I didn’t talk much about the experience.

Traditionally, and most commonly, the dentist will perform the corrective procedures on the tooth needing the crown by eliminating the decay and creating room for the new restoration. At that stage the dentist then takes a series of molds with a variety of impression materials. These impressions are sent to a lab to have them fabricate a long lasting crown out of porcelain (or sometimes gold). That will be followed with the fabrication and insertion of a temporary crown. This temporary crown is made of acrylic (hard resin/plastic) and placed with temporary cement designed to let the dentist remove the temporary later. This temporary is to be worn for around two weeks requiring the patient to be careful with what they eat, how they clean the area, and it can be sensitive. Breaking the temporary is possible, having it come loose is possible, and sometimes bacteria can work under it as well creating sensitivity and tooth nerve insult. After the two-week period is up you need to go back to the dentist for a second visit, have more numbing/freezing put in, and then have the final crown inserted.

There is another way; however, using CAD/CAM (computer aided design and milling) technology called CEREC Omnicam. Instead of goopy impressions we record the information with a camera. This is great for those that have strong gag reflexes. The dentist then designs your crown on a computer using a 3-dimensional virtual model. You can watch! Next, the camera images/data are sent to a milling chamber. This is a machine inside the office that utilizes two diamond “drill bits” to multi-axis mill (cut) a perfect crown (could be a bridge, implant crown, veneer, inlay, onlay) out of a block of porcelain. This process is remarkably quick and absolutely precise. At this stage your new crown can be bonded in place. No need for a temporary, no need for a second visit, no need to interrupt your schedule twice, and no need to be frozen twice.

Photo: Contributed

The technology really has to be seen to be believed. Call our office if you would like a demonstration, or if you would like a single visit crown.

This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.