What is CEREC?
CEREC stands for CEramic REConstruction. We are pleased to offer our patients CEREC restoration services. From simple fillings to full crowns, CEREC delivers the results you need in a single appointment. CEREC is a revolutionary way to quickly restore damaged teeth, using a durable ceramic material. The result is a beautiful, natural-coloured restoration that is much stronger than before. Over a decade of clinical research and experience supports the CEREC technology. Dentists have performed over four million restorations worldwide. Don’t worry about trying to figure out what type of dental restoration you need, that’s our job. Your job is to contact us when you’re ready to improve your smile and oral health.
What are the advantages of CEREC crowns?
The greatest advantage of CEramic REConstruction (CEREC) is the ability to perform the restoration in a single session, with no need for temporaries or bulky impressions. In addition, restorations have a very natural look because they are made of tooth-coloured ceramic material. That means they are metal-free, so there will be no silver fillings to discolor your smile! The ceramic material is compatible with the surrounding tissues in your mouth. It is high grade, anti-abrasive and plaque-resistant. Finally CEREC allows us to be extremely precise and save more of the healthy part of your tooth. Learn more about CEREC today.
How do implant dental crowns and tooth bridges work?
If there are multiple teeth missing, implant bridges can also be used to replace one or more missing teeth. They span the space where the teeth are missing. Bridges are cemented to the implants surrounding the empty space. These teeth, called abutments, serve as anchors for the bridge. A replacement tooth, called a pontic, is attached to the crowns that cover the abutments. As with crowns, you have a choice of materials for bridges. Your dentist can help you decide which to use, based on the location of the missing tooth (or teeth), its function, aesthetic considerations and cost. Porcelain or ceramic bridges can be matched to the color of your natural teeth.
How are dental crowns and tooth bridges made?
Before either a crown or a bridge can be made, the tooth (or teeth) must be reduced in size so that the crown or bridge will fit properly. After reducing the tooth/teeth, your dentist will take an impression to provide an exact mold for the crown or bridge. If porcelain is to be used, your dentist will determine the correct shade for the crown or bridge to match the color of your existing teeth. Using this impression, a dental lab then makes your crown or bridge, in the material your dentist specifies. A temporary crown or bridge will be put in place to cover the prepared tooth while the permanent crown or bridge is being made. When the permanent crown or bridge is ready, the temporary crown or bridge is removed, and the new crown or bridge is cemented over your prepared tooth or teeth.
How long do dental crowns and tooth bridges last?
While crowns and bridges can last a lifetime, they do sometimes come loose or fall out. The most important step you can take to ensure the longevity of your crown or bridge is to practice good oral hygiene. A bridge can lose its support if the teeth or bone holding it in place are damaged by dental disease. Keep your gums and teeth healthy by flossing daily and brushing with fluoride toothpaste twice a day. See your dentist and hygienist regularly for checkups and professional cleanings. To prevent damage to your new crown or bridge, avoid chewing hard foods, ice or other hard objects.
How do dental crowns work?
A dental crown is used to entirely cover or “cap” a damaged or weakened tooth – or a tooth that has undergone RCT (root canal therapy). Besides strengthening a damaged tooth, a crown can be used to improve its appearance, shape or alignment. A crown can also be placed on top of an implant to provide a tooth-like shape and structure for function. Porcelain or ceramic crowns can be matched to the color of your natural teeth. Other materials include gold and metal alloys, acrylic and ceramic. Porcelain bonded to a metal shell is often used because it is both strong and attractive.
Your dentist may recommend a crown to:
- Replace large fillings when not enough tooth remains
- Protect a weak tooth from fracturing
- Restore a fractured tooth
- Attach a bridge
- Cover a dental implant
- Cover a discolored or poorly shaped tooth
- Cover a tooth that has had root canal treatment/therapy
How do tooth bridges work?
A tooth bridge may be recommended if you’re missing one or more teeth. Gaps left by missing teeth eventually cause the remaining teeth to rotate or shift into the empty spaces, resulting in a bad bite. The imbalance caused by missing teeth can also lead to gum disease and temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorder.
Tooth bridges are commonly used to replace one or more missing teeth. They span the space where the teeth are missing.
Tooth bridges are cemented to the natural teeth surrounding the empty space. These teeth, called abutments, serve as anchors for the bridge. A replacement tooth, called a pontic, is attached to the crowns that cover the abutments. As with crowns, you have a choice of materials for bridges. Your dentist can help you decide which to use, based on the location of the missing tooth (or teeth), its function, aesthetic considerations and cost. Porcelain or ceramic bridges can be matched to the color of your natural teeth.
