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$999 Dental Implants
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Traditional dental crowns require at least two appointments spread over several weeks. You sit through the preparation visit wearing an uncomfortable temporary crown that limits your diet and feels nothing like your natural tooth, all while waiting for a dental lab to fabricate your permanent restoration. The process disrupts your schedule with multiple time-consuming appointments and leaves you worried about your temporary crown falling off at an inconvenient moment.
CEREC technology changes everything by creating your permanent crown in a single visit. At South Hills Dental Arts, we use advanced CEREC and CAD/CAM technology to design, mill, and place your custom porcelain crown while you wait, typically in about two hours. With over 35 years of experience and four convenient Pittsburgh-area locations in Upper St. Clair, Ingram/Crafton, Sewickley, and McMurray, we provide efficient, high-quality dental care that fits your busy life without compromising on results.
CEREC stands for Chairside Economical Restoration of Esthetic Ceramics, which captures exactly what the system does. This computer-aided design and manufacturing technology brings crown fabrication into the dental office, eliminating the need for outside laboratories and the delays that come with them. The system consists of specialized imaging equipment, design software, and a precision milling machine that works together to create restorations from solid blocks of dental-grade porcelain.
The process begins with digital impressions rather than traditional putty molds. We use an intraoral camera to capture detailed 3D images of your prepared tooth and the surrounding structures. These images appear on a computer screen where we design your crown using sophisticated software, adjusting the shape, size, and contours to match your natural teeth perfectly. The digital design ensures optimal fit and function while maintaining the aesthetic appearance you want.
Once the design is finalized, the data transfers to the milling unit where a precision instrument carves your crown from a solid block of high-quality porcelain. The milling process takes about 15 minutes and produces a restoration that matches the strength and appearance of traditional lab-made crowns. After milling, we polish and finish the crown before bonding it permanently to your prepared tooth, all during the same appointment.
CEREC crowns use advanced ceramic materials specifically developed for dental restorations. These materials match the translucency and color of natural tooth enamel, making your crown virtually indistinguishable from your other teeth. The porcelain is strong enough to withstand normal chewing forces while remaining gentle on opposing teeth, unlike some harder materials that can cause excessive wear.
The ceramic blocks come in multiple shades, allowing us to select the color that best matches your existing teeth. For front teeth where appearance is paramount, we can customize the shade and characteristics to blend seamlessly with your smile. The result is a restoration that looks natural and feels comfortable from the moment it’s placed.
The most obvious benefit of CEREC crowns is convenience. You walk in with a damaged or decayed tooth and leave the same day with a permanent restoration, eliminating the need for temporary crowns and follow-up appointments. This efficiency saves you time off work, reduces childcare arrangements, and prevents the stress of managing a fragile temporary restoration for weeks.
Same-day crowns also mean better comfort throughout the treatment process. Traditional temporaries can be bulky, ill-fitting, and sensitive to temperature changes. They sometimes fall off or break, requiring emergency visits to have them recemented. With CEREC, you skip this uncomfortable interim period entirely and go straight to your permanent crown that fits properly and functions normally.
The digital impression process proves more comfortable for many patients compared to traditional impressions. Crowns can strengthen teeth with large cavities when there isn’t enough healthy tooth structure to hold a filling, and the CEREC digital scanning method eliminates the gagging sensation some people experience with impression putty. The camera simply captures images of your teeth without requiring you to bite down on messy trays filled with material.
From a clinical perspective, CEREC crowns offer excellent precision. The digital design and computer-controlled milling produce restorations with remarkably accurate margins and proper contact with adjacent teeth. This precision contributes to the longevity of the restoration and helps prevent future problems like decay around the crown edges or gum irritation from poor fit.
CEREC crowns work well for most situations requiring crown restoration. If you have a cracked tooth, large cavity, or worn tooth structure that needs protection, a same-day porcelain crown provides both immediate relief and long-term durability. The technology works for both front and back teeth, though we evaluate each case individually to ensure CEREC is the optimal solution for your specific needs.
Patients with busy schedules particularly appreciate the single-visit approach. If taking multiple days off work for dental appointments creates hardship, or if you travel frequently and prefer to consolidate your dental care, CEREC technology accommodates your lifestyle. The efficiency doesn’t mean rushed treatment; we simply eliminate the waiting period between appointments rather than reducing the quality or thoroughness of care.
The same-day crown option also benefits patients who feel anxious about dental procedures. Rather than anticipating a second appointment for weeks while wearing a temporary crown, you complete the entire process in one visit and move forward with your life. The reduced number of anesthetic injections and preparation procedures can make the experience less stressful for anxious patients.
Some cases require specialized materials or techniques better suited to traditional lab-fabricated crowns. For example, if you need a crown on an implant or require a bridge connecting multiple teeth, we might recommend conventional methods. During your consultation, we evaluate your specific situation and explain which approach will deliver the best results for your needs.
Your same-day crown appointment typically lasts about two hours from start to finish. We begin by numbing the area around the tooth and preparing it for the crown, which involves removing damaged or decayed structure and shaping the tooth to accommodate the restoration. This preparation process is identical to what would happen with a traditional crown.
After preparation, we take digital impressions using the intraoral camera. You can watch the images appear on the screen in real-time as we capture your tooth from multiple angles. Once we have complete digital impressions, the design phase begins. We use the CAD software to create your crown, adjusting the design to ensure proper bite alignment and natural appearance. You can relax in our comfortable operatory during this time, perhaps watching TV or listening to music.
The milling process happens right in our office using the CEREC machine. Many patients find watching their crown being carved from the porcelain block fascinating, though you’re welcome to use this time however you prefer. After milling, we refine and polish the crown to achieve the proper texture and shine, then try it in your mouth to verify the fit and appearance.
The final step involves bonding the crown to your tooth using strong dental cement. We check your bite carefully to ensure the crown doesn’t interfere with your normal chewing pattern, making any minor adjustments needed before the final bonding. Once the crown is in place, you can resume normal activities immediately, though we recommend avoiding very hard or sticky foods for the first 24 hours while the cement fully sets.
CEREC crowns require the same care as your natural teeth. Brush twice daily with fluoride toothpaste, floss once per day around the crown, and visit us for regular checkups and cleanings. The porcelain material resists staining better than natural tooth enamel, but maintaining good oral hygiene prevents problems with the tooth underneath the crown.
Avoid using your crowned tooth to bite extremely hard objects like ice, hard candy, or nut shells. While CEREC crowns are strong and durable, excessive force can damage them just as it can damage natural teeth. If you grind your teeth at night, we may recommend a nightguard to protect both your crown and your other teeth from excessive wear.
Most CEREC crowns last 10 to 15 years or longer with proper care, similar to traditional crowns. Regular dental visits allow us to monitor the crown and address any issues before they become serious problems. If you experience sensitivity, pain, or notice the crown feels loose, contact us promptly so we can evaluate the situation.
At South Hills Dental Arts, our investment in CEREC technology reflects our commitment to providing convenient, high-quality dental care that respects your time and delivers excellent results. We’ve served Pittsburgh communities for decades, building lasting relationships with patients who trust us for their dental health needs. Our advanced technology including Digital Smile Design, digital implant planning, and same-day restorations demonstrates our dedication to staying at the forefront of modern dentistry.
We provide comprehensive dental care under one roof across all four of our locations, so you never need referrals to outside offices for specialty procedures. Our experienced team combines technical skill with genuine care for your comfort and satisfaction. We’re in-network with many PPO insurance plans and offer flexible financing options through CareCredit, Proceed, and our in-house membership plan to make treatment affordable.
Whether you need a crown to restore a damaged tooth or want to explore your options for improving your smile, we’re here to help with personalized treatment plans designed around your goals and needs. Contact South Hills Dental Arts today to schedule your consultation and experience the convenience of same-day crown technology that fits your schedule without compromising on quality.
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