Same-day crowns are a huge advance in dental technology. Unlike traditional crowns, which require 2+ appointments over several weeks, same-day CEREC crowns at Lighthouse Dental can be placed by Dr. Ajay Amin in just a single 1-2 hour appointment. How does this process work? Read on, and find out!
1. Initial Assessment & Oral Exam
To begin the process, Dr. Amin will need to check your mouth and make sure that a CEREC crown is the right choice for you. There are some situations where CEREC may not work, such as if a tooth is broken below the gumline. In other cases, you may be better off with alternatives like a filling or dental veneer. Dr. Amin will explain your options and determine if a CEREC crown is the best choice for you.
2. Tooth Preparation & Digital Tooth Scan
If a crown is right for you, Dr. Amin will numb your mouth and clean the tooth, then use a dental drill to gently remove damaged material from your tooth. If you’re replacing an old filling or crown, that will need to be removed before this process begins.
Next, Dr. Amin will use a special hand-held scanner to get a 3D image of your tooth and your mouth, and he will upload this 3D model into a specialized CEREC computer.
3. Designing Your Same-Day CEREC Crown
Using a computer program, Dr. Amin will design your same-day CEREC crown using your tooth scans, ensuring it looks completely natural and fits into your mouth perfectly. This process usually takes only a few minutes.
4. Carving Your CEREC Crown With Our CAD/CAM Machine
When Dr. Amin has finished tweaking and perfecting the shape of your crown, he will load a tooth-colored block of porcelain into our CEREC CAD/CAM (Computer-Aided Design/Manufacturing) unit.
This unit will use the computerized model of your tooth to carve a crown out of the block of porcelain in just a few minutes.
5. Final Crown Fit Check & Placement
Once your CEREC crown has been carved and completed, Dr. Amin will retrieve it from our CEREC machine and examine it to make sure it looks natural and feels right in your mouth. If everything looks good, he will use powerful dental cement to
Restore Your Tooth In Just One Appointment – Contact Lighthouse Dental Today!
Whether you have a worn-down old crown, a failing filling, a sore tooth, or any other condition that may require you to get a new dental crown, Dr. Ajay Amin is here to help. With our same-day crowns, you can restore your smile in just a single 1-2 hour appointment, and get back to your routine right away.
So don’t wait. Contact us online or give us a call at (619) 224-2204 to get a consultation and get the restorative dentistry you need in Point Loma, Ocean Beach, or Old Town. We’re always accepting new patients at Lighthouse Dental!