
One of the cornerstones of our practice was placed over 15 years ago when we invested in the technology that allows us to design and deliver the highest quality dental restorations in a single visit. The following is a photographic essay detailing the steps in the fabrication of a Cerec crown for one of our VIP's. A common scenario is the fracture of a supporting cusp in a tooth that had received an overly large silver filling many years ago. The lack of remaining supportive tooth structure suggested that the restoration of choice was to be a full coverage ceramic crown.
Traditionally, impressions were taken by filling a tray with material, introducing it into the mouth and holding it in place for a minimum of 3 minutes. Here, Dr. Quinn is using a specialized camera to capture image detail of the work area. Our patients appreciate how easily and quickly we can accomplish this. What took minutes now takes seconds. Accuracy is improved and the virtual model can be inspected and if necessary, modified in seconds as opposed to retaking a full minutes long traditional material based impression. The restoration is milled in a matter of minutes and after verifying the fit and contour, it is placed in a specialized oven in order to achieve its' final strength and color. The surfaces of the tooth and the restoration are conditioned and the final restoration is bonded to place. All this technology improves the total patient experience - a permanent Cerec Crown placed in one simple visit.