For patients in La Jolla, CEREC® crowns and bridges are a unique cosmetic dentistry option to protect damaged teeth and restore function. Call The Art of Dentistry today to schedule a consultation and learn more about how this technology can improve your smile.
There are several reasons you might need a crown or a bridge. A crown is a type of cap that is placed over a damaged or weakened tooth to help restore its shape, size, strength, and appearance. We may recommend a crown if you have a severely decayed tooth in which the cavity is too large for a filling, or a cracked or fractured tooth must be held together to prevent further breakage.
A crown can also help you keep your tooth if it has been worn down by grinding or eroded due to acid reflux. Additionally, a crown can improve the aesthetics of your smile by fixing misshapen or discolored teeth. Most people have a crown placed after a root canal leaves their tooth more fragile and in need of protection.
Similarly, there are several reasons we might advise you to consider a bridge. A bridge replaces one or more missing teeth by anchoring the replacement to adjacent teeth or implants. You might need a bridge to fill a gap and restore function to an area with one or more missing teeth, and it can also prevent your other teeth from shifting and creating bite problems. A bridge can also improve your ability to chew food by eliminating gaps in the teeth.
Our CEREC® technology can streamline the crown and bridge process for La Jolla patients looking to improve their smile. If a single tooth is damaged but still in place, a crown is likely the best option. If you have one or more teeth missing, we might recommend a bridge to help restore function and prevent your teeth from shifting.
Chairside Economical Restoration of Esthetic Ceramics (CEREC®) is a type of crown and bridge created using computer-aided design and manufacturing technology. This technology allows us to design, produce, and place CEREC® crowns and bridges during a single visit, eliminating the need for temporary restorations and multiple appointments.
Restorations are made from durable, tooth-colored ceramic that blends with your natural teeth. Because the process uses computer-aided design and manufacturing, precise digital impressions eliminate the need for messy materials. The procedure also preserves more of the natural tooth structure compared to traditional crown material.
During your visit, we will first prepare the affected tooth for a crown or the adjacent teeth for a bridge. This process might involve removing decay or addressing damaged areas. Then, a small intraoral camera uses 3D digital scans of your teeth and the surrounding structures to gather precise data for designing your restoration.
This digital scan is processed using special software to ensure the design of the custom CEREC® crown or bridge matches the specifications of our patients’ bite and smile. During your appointment, we can adjust the size, shape, and color of your crown or bridge in real-time so you have a natural-looking result.
Once the design is finished, an in-office milling machine carves the crown or bridge from a solid block of high-quality ceramic. This part of the process can take up to 30 minutes and creates a durable and natural-looking restoration. If needed, your crown or bridge can be refined by staining or glazing to match the surrounding teeth perfectly.
We ensure a perfect fit before permanently bonding the crown to the prepared tooth. After bonding, final adjustments can be made to fine-tune your bite and comfort. The entire procedure can take up to 2 hours, but there is no need for temporary restorations or multiple visits.
Crowns and bridges help protect your teeth, restore function, and improve your smile. We encourage La Jolla patients to call The Art of Dentistry today to schedule your consultation and learn more about how minimally invasive CEREC® crowns and bridges can improve your dental restoration.