Crowns made in just one convenient visit with computer-aided dentistry: FAQs about CEREC

Effective treatments are not the be-all and end-all at the office of Stephen Huber, DDS. Our team in Leawood, Kansas, supports your best experience at every step in the journey to restoring the health, function, and beauty of your smile. So, state-of-the-art technologies like CEREC not only effectively treat broken or otherwise damaged teeth, but they also support a pleasant and efficient experience.

What is CEREC?

CEREC is a computer-aided system that we can use to make your dental crown. It stands for “Chairside Economical Restoration of Esthetic Ceramics.” While that sounds like a mouthful, it is commonly referred to as “same-day dentistry” because everything is performed “chairside” or in-house. We have effectively eliminated the dental lab from the process. Since we can handle everything from our office, you can get your new crown the same day—in just one appointment.

How many appointments would it typically take?

The traditional process generally involves making impressions or models of your teeth. The teeth that will be crowned are also “prepared.” Any diseased tissues are removed, and the teeth are reshaped. A temporary crown is also applied to protect the tooth as your crown is being made by a lab based on your tooth impressions. Once the permanent crown is ready (usually after around two weeks), a second appointment is needed to remove the temporary and secure your “forever” crown. You may also need a third or fourth appointment if the permanent is not made right the first time or if the fragile, temporary breaks during this process.

How can you do everything in one appointment?

Computer-aided dentistry is a beautiful thing! We use optical impressions, which are comfortable and highly accurate. Our team can use this information to design your crown on-site. The crown is lastly shaped from a block of aesthetic and durable ceramic and secured on top of the tooth that has been prepared by Dr. Huber. Should we need to make any adjustments or even re-make the crown, we can do so in just minutes.

Are CEREC crowns as good as other crowns?

There are many reasons they may be better, actually! For starters, they are based on digital impressions and not manual ones. This promotes the most accurate impressions or models, which are used as a basis to make your permanent crown. The human error associated with messy, goopy impressions is eliminated. Plus, we use high-performance ceramics that are designed and built to last as long as you maintain good oral care at home and at our office in Leawood, Kansas. Of course, many of our patients are also highly satisfied with how great their metal-free ceramic crowns look.

Call the office of Stephen Huber, DDS, at (913) 349-9795 today to find out more and to schedule your appointment.