My dentist wants me to get a CEREC crown because of the convenience. I don’t mind, but want to get the best crown. It’s my first one and I want to choose well. Are CEREC crowns my best choice?
Catherine
Dear Catherine,
Dear Catherine,
You asked a fantastic question. It is great that you are looking for the best solution for your teeth. There are three main types of dental crowns which are commonly used these days. One isn’t the best. Instead, think of it like a matter of where their strengths lie.
Depending on where you need the crown would determine which one is best for you. Let’s go over the three most common and when they’re best used.
Conventional Crowns
Conventional crowns are also called porcelain-fused-to-metal. This is because they have a metal base. They are best used on your very back teeth because of their strength. Our back teeth have strong biting forces so this type of crown serves well there.
The downside of these type of crowns is their appearance. They have to be made more opaque in order to cover the metal and they tend to develop a gray line at the gumline. Neither of these make for a natural look. On back teeth that won’t matter as much.
All-Porcelain Crowns
The two photos below are the same woman. The smile on the right was with conventional crowns. As you can imagine, she wasn’t thrilled about the look and had them switched out for all-porcelain crowns.
If you’re looking for a beautiful look, you want to go with all-porcelain crowns. The porcelain mimics the natural translucency of our teeth. Though, like any type of cosmetic work, the more skilled and artistic the dentist, the better the results.
CEREC Crowns
The biggest advantage to CEREC Crowns is the convenience. They are milled by machine in the office. This allows you to leave with your crown instead of needing to get a temporary crown while yours is sent off to a lab.
It’s great if you’re in a hurry. While they are all-porcelain, they are milled from a single block. Beautiful crowns require several different shades. Unless you have one of the top cosmetic dentists in the country, I wouldn’t have these put on your very front teeth.
If you do want them on a front tooth, you would really need a dentist who has reached accreditation with the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry. AACD accredited dentists are among the top 1% in the world.
Whitening Dental Crowns
So you are aware, dental work of any kind, including all the dental crowns we mentioned above, do not whiten. Whatever color your dentist makes them, is the color they’ll be. Your dentist will match them to your teeth. If you’re considering bleaching your teeth, you’ll want to do it before the crown is completed.
This blog is brought to you by Hilton Head Dentist Dr. Bonnie Rothwell.
