Everyone’s busy. And many people feel they do not have the time to visit the dentist. Much of dental advertising plays on the idea that prevention is better than a cure. It’s the idea that 15 minutes today will save you’re a couple of hours tomorrow.
This is true. But not always practical. Some people just do not have the time to take out, or can’t seem to find the time. And while we’d like to think at Coast Dental we offer flexible hours, everyone is different.
But what if you could have your dental treatment done in a day?
What if, instead of multiple appointments and unpleasant temporaries, you could receive the porcelain restorations you need just one appointment?
Well, the technology’s been available for the last thirty years. It’s called same-day dentistry and it’s a great way for patients to receive treatment quickly and effectively.
CEREC restorations
CEREC stands for Chairside Economical Restoration of Esthetic Ceramics, and for treatments such as porcelain crowns and porcelain veneers, the CEREC machine is a great way to seamlessly produce amazing results.
Traditional treatments not only required multiple appointments, they also required putty material being used to take impressions and a temporary restoration while the lab fabricated the restoration.
With CEREC restorations the whole process can take around an hour to an hour and a half and you’ll leave Coast Dental with your new restoration.
Is there a time when CEREC restorations are not appropriate?
When it comes to treatments such as porcelain veneers and porcelain-only dental crowns, the CEREC machine is a great choice. However, because the CEREC machine only mills porcelain it is not appropriate for porcelain on metal or porcelain on gold dental crowns.
Different types of dental crowns are used depending on which teeth need to be restored. For front teeth where there isn’t a huge amount of bite pressure, a porcelain crown is adequate. For back teeth where the bite pressure is far greater, you will need a metal or gold crown.
The reason being porcelain, while strong, isn’t strong enough by itself to withstand that sort of bite pressure for long. But since no one really wants to have metal or gold in their smile, a porcelain layer is placed over the gold or metal for aesthetics.
CEREC restorations and your smile
If your teeth are stained or have minor chips or imperfections, porcelain veneers are a great option. Created in a day with our CEREC machine, porcelain veneers are colour matched to your natural teeth. It is important to remember porcelain restorations are stain-resistant not stain proof. And it is necessary to maintain your oral hygiene routine at home.
Additionally, having restorations of any kind (dental implants, dental crowns, porcelain veneers etc) make it even more important to visit your dentist regularly. Dental crowns may protect a damaged or weakened tooth, but it doesn’t stop decay affecting the tooth beneath the dental crown.
If you would like to know more about how Coast Dental in Christies Beach can help you, or to book an appointment, please contact us today.