When a tooth becomes badly cracked, broken, worn down, or decayed, a crown is often needed to restore strength, structure, and function to a patient’s smile. Crowns can be made from a variety of materials, but one of the most common materials used is porcelain. All-porcelain crowns can be precisely shaded to match surrounding teeth, and because they’re durable, they can be cared for like a natural tooth.
A traditional crown restoration requires at least two visits to complete. During the first visit, the dentist takes an impression of the tooth that needs to be restored and sends it off to a dental lab. During the second visit, the dentist checks to be sure the finished crown fits and places it. In between these two appointments, the patient must wear a temporary crown. Temporary crowns can fall out or crack, so it’s not uncommon for patients to have to schedule an emergency appointment to have a new temporary crown placed.
It is now possible for patients of Dr. Skatvold and Dr. Johnson to receive the restorative care they need in just one single visit to our Moorhead dental office. Using CEREC technology, our dentists have the ability to mill all-porcelain crowns, in-lays, and on-lays in our office as patients wait comfortably nearby.
The process is simple. First, one of our dentists will scan the tooth that needs to be restored. The image will then be fed to our CEREC machine, which will mill your custom-made restoration in about an hour. When your crown has been milled, all that is left is for your dentist is to put it in. Once your crown is in place, your procedure is done and you can leave our Moorhead dental office with your smile fully restored.