Damaged or missing teeth interfere with chewing and eating and can also be painful and embarrassing. You need to have the affected tooth restored, but who has the time for multiple appointments? Now you don’t need to. Read on.

For most people, no matter how attentive their at-home oral care routine is, sooner or later, they’ll need to visit the dentist for restorative dentistry. 

In fact, 90% of adults aged 20 to 64 experience tooth decay, while about half of the population – 178 million Americans — are missing at least one tooth. Fortunately, advances in cosmetic and restorative dentistry offer a plethora of treatment options.  

In this blog, our compassionate and highly experienced team of dentists at Mowry Dental in Fremont, California, offers insights on CEREC® same-day dental crowns. 

CEREC® Same-Day versus conventional crowns

First, let’s explore why you might need a dental crown. A crown, sometimes called a “cap,” is a customized dental prosthetic that tops a damaged or weakened tooth. Crowns are generally made from tooth-colored porcelain, porcelain fused to metal, resin, or ceramic. 

In some cases, our team uses a crown to strengthen a tooth with a large or deep cavity. We may also recommend a crown to fix a damaged or cracked tooth. Because crowns cover all the visible areas from the top of the affected tooth to the gum line, they can also be used for discolored or misshapen teeth, making them a handy cosmetic dentistry option.

Traditionally, dentists placed conventional crowns over 2-3 appointments. The first visit trimmed the affected tooth so the crown could fit properly. Specifically, the dentist would file or shave a tiny bit of the enamel of the tooth being treated.  

Then, the dentist would take an impression of your tooth and send the data to a dental laboratory to fabricate your crown. Finally, the dentist would place a temporary crown.  

Then, you would have to wait until the crown returned from the lab. At your final appointment, the dentist would remove the temporary crown and replace it with the permanent one.

CEREC one-and-done crowns

Fortunately, the old way of placing crowns is a thing of the past. 
Mowry Dental offers CEREC same-day crowns with CAD/CAM technology. In fact, everything happens during a single 1-2 hour appointment. 

Our dentists are trained in using the CEREC system and will mill your custom crown at our office. With CEREC same-day crowns, you can say goodbye to the hassle of making multiple appointments and hello to your beautiful new smile with no waiting.

Works with bridges and implants too 

As if being an immediate restorative treatment isn’t enough, CEREC same-day crowns are a versatile treatment option that can be combined with dental bridges or dental implants to replace missing teeth. 

We may recommend a dental bridge to replace one or more missing teeth. A bridge is often utilized to replace missing teeth located in the back of the mouth. With bridges, our team installs crowns on the teeth on either side of the gap to anchor the bridge. 

Dental implants are the gold standard for replacing missing teeth and are the top choice for people who can’t wear (or don’t want to wear) dentures. In the case of dental implant treatment, a crown tops a titanium post. Dental implants are incredibly secure and can last a lifetime.

If you have damaged or missing teeth and want to learn if CEREC same-day crowns are right for you, call Mowry Dental at 510-794-7900 to schedule a consultation. You can also book your appointment online.