Tag Archives: same day crowns

Matching My CEREC Crown

I needed a dental crown and thought this would be a good chance to try my dentist’s new CEREC machine. I knew it would save me some time. At the appointment, we never really discussed the color. It felt fine and I assumed everything else would be as well. It was not until I got home that I saw the color discrepancy. Now, it is all I notice about my smile and I feel like the tooth looks fake. I don’t know what to do. I have tried using over the counter whitening products in order to get my other teeth as white as the CEREC crown, but thus far, no luck. Is it crazy to ask my dentist to darken it?

Sandra

Dear Sandra,

Block of porcelain for a CEREC crown

I do not think it is crazy at all to want your teeth to match one another. I can already tell you that your dentist has no real expertise in cosmetic dentistry. A true cosmetic dentist would have let you get a good look at the crown to make certain you approved of them before permanently bonding them on. It is possible that he noticed the color difference and didn’t want to have to redo them.

CEREC crowns are very convenient, but if you are having one placed on a front tooth, it will be important that the dentist have real cosmetic expertise. CERECs are milled from a single block of porcelain. This makes them look rather flat and bright. However, there are stains and tints a skilled cosmetic dentist can use in order to make them blend in well with the remainder of your teeth. Unfortunately, these have to be baked into the crowns before they are completed.

You have a couple of choices here. You can give your dentist another opportunity to get these right or you can ask for a refund and get this done properly elsewhere. Whichever you decide, make certain they let you see the crown with a temporary try-in paste first so you can get a good look at them in several lights and give your approval or disapproval to get it permanently bonded on.

This blog is brought to you by Lafayette, LA Dentists Drs. Foreman and Thimmesch.

Problem with CEREC Crown

I went to my dentist because of pain with pressure and sensitivity to hot and cold. My dentist suggested a crown and we decided on a CEREC crown for the first time on a back tooth. I’d had other crowns before so I wasn’t new to the gig. I like how fast it went and having the crown that day. A few days later though, I still had the same problem. I went back to see the dentist and he checked to make sure it was on right. He felt it was and told me to give it eight weeks. That was discouraging because I was going on vacation, but what else could I do? I bought some pain meds and left town. I was in so much pain and practically lived on those pain meds. At about the eight-week mark, it did start to get better. That’s a lot of pain to go through with a crown. Normally, I have the pain go away with immediate relief. Is this a pattern with a CEREC crown?

Morgan

Dear Morgan,

Block of porcelain for a CEREC crown

I would like you to see a different dentist and have this looked at, including an x-ray. CEREC crowns are equally effective as traditional crowns. The biggest difference is the same-day service. When there is the type of pain you were having, just crowning the tooth will not necessarily solve the problem on its own. The fact that it was still hurting afterward bears this out in your case.

With it gradually getting better over that length of time, it sounds more to me like the pulp of your tooth was dying. I’d like to know if the original problem was some type of dental infection.

Usually, when there is a sensitive tooth that also needs a crown, the first thing to do is remove any old fillings or decay. Then place some glass isomer or bonded build-up material and give it a bit of time. This is to see if the tooth settles down. If it doesn’t and the pain persists, that is a signal the tooth needs a root canal treatment.

Have this looked at elsewhere so you don’t risk an infection flaring back up.

This blog is brought to you by Lafayette, LA Dentists Drs. Foreman and Thimmesch.

CEREC Crown is Too Bulky

I had a dental crown break after three years. I needed to replace it but have been quite busy lately. Because of that, I went to a different dentist who advertised same day crowns using a CEREC machine. However, the tooth with the CEREC crown is way too bulky. It’s uncomfortable, doesn’t line up with my other teeth, and I find myself biting my tongue unintentionally because the crown is “in the way”. The dentist has tried filing it a couple of times, but it hasn’t really improved much. Where do I go from here?

Madeline

Dear Madeline,

porcelain block for CEREC crown
CEREC restoration

This must be so frustrating for you. Here you were trying to save time and it has ended up even more of a hassle. I have two concerns here, beginning with your original crown. It should not have broken after a few years. These are designed to protect the tooth underneath and keep them from breaking. As a result, they should last you many years. Your dentist should have recognized that and offered to replace it. Hopefully, it was a matter of flawed material, which can happen to the best of dentists, and not that he was incompetent in how he placed it.

As for the CEREC crown, it sounds to me like your dentist is new with this software. Usually, the dentist would take images of your tooth that needs to be crowned and the CEREC software would build-up an excellently fitted tooth from there. However, you didn’t have the original tooth because your need was to replace a damaged crown.

There are ways to build up a tooth from scratch that will fit perfectly using the software, but it seems to have been beyond the scope of your dentist’s knowledge.

This crown does need to be replaced. The issues you listed can lead to serous problems, including tumors on your gum where you keep biting it, gum disease from a crown iritating the area, and even TMJ Disorder from your bit getting thrown off.

Have your dentist replace this crown at his or her expense. However, I don’t think they are going to be able to get the results you want with her understanding of the software. I think you are going to have to go the “traditional” route and have this porcelain crown made in a dental laboratory.

This blog is brought to you by Lafayette, LA Dentists Drs. Foreman and Thimmesch.

Cerec crown is too big

I had a dental crown that was about five years old. It broke and I needed to replace it. I decided to get a CEREC crown to speed up the procedure and get a crown as quickly as possible. I’ve had crowns before. But, this one has been a problem. It feels huge in my mouth. So big that it was hurting and causing problems with my speech and gums. It’s also causing me to bite my tongue at night in my sleep. I went back to my dentist and she tried filing it down but I’m still having problems. I though the CEREC crown would fit better.

Kathy

Dear Kathy,

Block of porcelain for CEREC crowns

It seems to me as if you’ve had two dud dentists recently. Dental crowns shouldn’t break. Normally, with a CEREC crown, a tooth is scanned before it is prepared for the crown. Then they use the shape of the tooth in the software to design the crown.

Without that, the dentist can use the software to form the crown, but it sounds like your dentist doesn’t know how to do that yet. I wouldn’t ask her to fix it with her CEREC machine.

Instead, I would ask her to give you a traditional crown which is done at a lab. It will take a little longer, but you need a well-fitted crown. CEREC is capable of doing that. In fact, the software can design a precise crown. Your problem is the dentist.

Do not settle for a crown where you are biting any part of your mouth. This can lead to tumors. A crown should not be noticeable at all.

Turning this Into a Benefit

If you’re going to have to have the crown re-done, I would look at it as an opportunity to improve your smile. This isn’t at all necessary but could be something beneficial.

One of the first things people notice about us is our smile. A great and inexpensive way to make your smile look years younger is with teeth whitening.

Now I don’t know where this crown is, but if it is at all in a visible part of your smile you should consider whitening your teeth before having the permanent crown made so it can be made to match.

This blog is brought to you by Lafayette, LA Dentist Dr. Mike Malone.

3 Unexpected facts about CEREC crowns

If you’re considering same day crowns, that’s great. They’re useful and convenient. Here are three things your dentist may not have told you yet.

Block of porcelain for CEREC crowns

They are Not Billed Any Differently

When dentists bill your insurance, they use codes. The codes for crowns, whether you are using traditional crowns or same-day crowns, they’re billed by the material used, not the brand.

While your dentist spent a small fortune on the machine, he is making up on lab fees by having it milled right in the office. This means you shouldn’t have to pay more for a CEREC crown than a traditional crown.

Only the BEST Cosmetic Dentists Can Place Them on Front Teeth

Because they’re milled from a single block of porcelain, they don’t have all the subtleties your natural teeth have. A dentist has to be very versed in color theory and have exceptional skills.

If your dentist is recommending a CEREC crown on an anterior (front) tooth, you need to check their qualifications. Ask to see samples of CEREC work they’ve done on front teeth.

If it’s important to you to have the crown done on the same day, you’ll want to take the precaution of going to a dentist who has achieved accreditation with the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry. AACD accredited dentists are the top of their field.

They Don’t Whiten

Often patients decide they want their teeth whiter at a certain point. However, the color made on your dental crowns (CEREC or traditional) is meant to be permanent.

The whitening gel used even in professional teeth whitening only works on natural tooth structure. It saves you money in the long run to whiten your teeth before having your dental crown made. This way when the dentist does do it, you’ll have it match the color you’ll be proud of.

It’s not required, of course. You can whiten later. It just means you’ll have to have your crown re-made to match.

This blog is brought to you by Lafayette Dentist Dr. Mike Malone.

Ugly CEREC Crown

I travel a lot for work and even when I am home, I’m still on the go. Because of this, I’ve been holding off on having a crown done. Not only is it near impossible for me to get to the dentist for two separate visits, but I’m really concerned that something will happen to my temporary while I’m away from home. I’ve been hearing a lot about these CEREC same day crowns and I like the concept, but a friend of mine had one done and the color doesn’t look quite right. Is this one of the expected trade-offs when having a CEREC crown done?

Thanks,

Sam

 

Dear Sam,

A cheesy grin is great, but not so much when it looks cheesy because the teeth are mismatched between shades of yellow and white like co-jack cheese. Unfortunately, your friend’s cheesy grin faux pas could have been avoided, but luckily, you don’t have to suffer the same fate in the name of convenience.

CEREC crowns are fantastic when it comes to streamlining the process, but like traditional crowns, some dentists don’t do a good job of matching the shade. There are options available for a dentist to make the restoration match the surrounding teeth- it’s just a matter of finding a dentist who has the cosmetic and artistic ability to do the matching.

Start by selecting a dentist who does CEREC crowns and ask the staff ahead of time how he selects shades. Often, but not always, the level of competence in the staff is very telling. You can also ask to see before and after photos of patients the dentist has treated. Many dentists like to have a “brag book” on hand or a smile gallery online to show off their finest cosmetic work. You can also speak directly with the dentist beforehand and ask him how he selects shades.

As any reputable cosmetic dentist knows, the most important deciding factor when it comes to esthetics is patient satisfaction. As such, he will always let you examine your restoration before it is cemented and will be certain to make sure you’re happy with it before you leave.

If you want to avoid an unpleasantly cheesy grin, ask a few questions in advance and you’ll be sure to have your same-day-crown be a same-day-beautiful-work-of-art too.

This blog is brought to you by Lafayette, LA Dentist Dr. Mike Malone.