Dentists Are Excited About New Crown Technology

Dentists across the country are excited about the fairly new technology available through a company called Cerec (Chairside Economical Restoration of Esthetic Ceramics). Cerec has made one of the biggest breakthroughs for dental professionals in a long time. Their technology is giving dentists the ability to complete the work of placing a crown in a patent's mouth in only one visit to their office. For patients, this option is definitely reason to smile!

This is done with a special system called CAD-CAM, "Computer-assisted-design-Computer-assisted-manufactured," which takes digital measurements of the tooth and then manufactures the crown for the patient while they wait. The whole process takes a relatively short period of time, only about 20 minutes. Gone is the waiting time of up to two to three weeks while an outside lab manufactures the crown. This same system can also be used for other types of tooth restoration and is big in the cosmetic dentistry field.

So how long does a Cerec crown last and how much does it cost? Experts say that the durability of a Cerec crown is very high, but the technology is still considered very new (the first one was made in 1983), so the exact length is unknown. However, all the indications are that a Cerec crown will last a very long time, at least as long as the traditional crowns made in an outside lab. As far as cost, there really is not much difference for the patient. However, because it is so new, many insurance companies still do not offer coverage for it, so it would be worth checking with them before having it done. The cost for the dentist on the other hand to be able to offer this service is initially quite high. But, as they eliminate outside lab fees associated with crown manufacturing, over time it can be a big financial benefit to the dentist. Dentists are also required to undergo specialized training, which is another investment for them in both time and money. However, many a skilled Cerec dentist will tell you the benefits far outweigh the initial costs.

An additional benefit is that the material that is used to create a Cerec crown is claimed to be the closest thing to natural tooth enamel there is right now as it expands and contracts with heat and cold just the the natural tooth does. This is said to also add to the life of the crown.

Source: http://longmontdentist.blogspot.com/2010/08/dentists-are-excited-about-new-crown.html