More than half of all American adults are missing at least one tooth, and many of them have lost even more. The good news is that dental crowns offer a way to maintain your oral health, restoring normal size, shape, strength, function, and appearance to a weak, worn, or damaged tooth.
In fact, effective, durable, and versatile dental crowns are the most common dental restoration procedure in the US, with millions of Americans receiving crowns to resolve dental problems and problematic teeth, restore their smile, and preserve their oral health.
In the past, getting crowns was a multi-week process. But restorative dentistry expert Robert F. Wilcox, DMD in Butte, Montana, uses CEREC® technology to deliver your customized crowns the same day.
Here’s a closer look at dental crown restorations and how Dr. Wilcox can address your dental issues in a single visit with customized crowns using CEREC technology.
A dental crown is a customized prosthetic tooth designed to cap, or cover and protect, your natural tooth when it’s too eroded, weak, or damaged to function correctly.
Crowns are also an effective cosmetic solution for misshapen, misaligned, or permanently discolored teeth, and other problems.
A wide range of materials, including metals, stainless steel, resin, porcelain, and ceramic, can make up dental crowns. Ceramic is often the preferred choice, as it best matches natural teeth in appearance and function.
Conventional crowns usually require at least two separate dental visits. During the first visit, the dentist prepares your natural tooth and takes an impression to send to the dental lab.
The lab then creates a customized cap. At your second visit, the dentist fits the permanent crown to your tooth.
Between your dental appointments, you wear a temporary crown for up to two weeks while the lab creates your personalized permanent crown.
Here at the private practice of Dr. Wilcox, you can get customized cosmetic crowns in one office visit instead of two, thanks to our Chairside Economical Restoration of Esthetic Ceramic (CEREC) system.
Using CEREC technology, Dr. Wilcox saves you time while giving you strong, natural-looking, perfect-fitting crowns. The system’s 3D-imaging camera, special dental software, and an on-site milling machine allow Dr. Wilcox to design and make your crowns — no two-week wait required.
The procedure is similar to traditional crowns, beginning with Dr. Wilcox removing any existing restorations and addressing any decay. He then prepares your tooth to receive a crown.
Next, Dr. Wilcox prepares your tooth to receive a crown with the application of a non-toxic, tasteless powder and uses a digital camera to take high-resolution digital photos of the treatment area.
Finally, Dr. Wilcox uses special 3D-imaging software to create an optical impression of your tooth that’s converted into a 3D model. The in-office milling machine then creates a ceramic crown that matches your natural teeth in about 15 minutes.
Once your crown is ready, Dr. Wilcox polishes it, fits it to your natural tooth, and makes any adjustments necessary before cementing it in place. You can use and care for your crown just as you would your natural tooth.
If you have a dental issue that calls for a crown, learn if you can get same-day prosthetics by calling Dr. Wilcox in Butte, Montana, and scheduling a consultation today.
