CEREC Same-Day Dental Crowns – St. Augustine, FL

Restore Your Smile in a Day

In the past, if you had an overly damaged or decayed tooth that required a dental crown, then you would need multiple appointments to have it created and placed. Thanks to more recent advancements in materials and technology, however, our team at Salt Run Family Dentistry can restore your smile in a day with CEREC same-day dental crowns! These resilient, customized caps are created with a special milling machine in-office so that you can protect and preserve your grin without any delays.

Continue reading to learn more about this technique, and feel free to contact us if you have additional questions or want to schedule your consultation.

Why Choose Salt Run Family Dentistry for CEREC Same-Day Dental Crowns?

Digital Imaging for Enhanced Patient Comfort
High-Quality, Lifelike Ceramic Material
Flexible Financing Available

What are CEREC Same-Day Dental Crowns?

Someone pulling a same-day dental crown from the milling machine

Dental crowns are resilient, customizable caps that are bonded over your pearly white to shield it from harm and restore its functionality. They’re often used when you have a tooth that’s:

Severely decayed or cracked.
Visibly worn down.
Experiencing pain or sensitivity.
Aesthetically flawed (stained, misshapen, etc.)
Has recently undergone a root canal.
As a cap over a dental implant.

Traditional dental crowns typically require two or more appointments because after your injured tooth is cleaned and prepped, impressions need to be taken and sent to a special lab to create your restoration. With CEREC (Chairside Economical Restoration of Esthetic Ceramics) technology, our experts can do the same thing on-site in a single visit. That means you won’t require a temporary dental crown in the meantime while you wait, and there’s less opportunity for bacteria to penetrate your vulnerable tooth.

The Process of Getting a CEREC Same-Day Dental Crown

Hands placing solid block of ceramic into milling machine

Typically, the process of getting your restoration in-office includes the following steps:

Our team will apply a local anesthetic to numb the area, first.
Then, we’ll prepare the tooth by removing a small amount of enamel so your crown fits correctly on top of it.
One of our dentists will take digital impressions that generate a 3D model of your injured tooth.
This information is sent to the milling machine, which crafts your dental crowns from a solid ceramic block. This takes into account the size, color, shape, and alignment of your natural teeth.
Once it’s completed, you’ll try on the restoration so we can make any last-minute adjustments as needed. Then we’ll bond it in place and send you on your way!

The Benefits of CEREC Crowns vs. Traditional Crowns

Dental mirror leaning on a large model tooth on a white surface with a blurry background

There are many benefits to getting same-day crowns in St. Augustine, including:

You’ll only need one appointment to complete the repair from start to finish instead of two or more like the traditional method.
Digital impressions. Standard impressions require biting down on a tray of putty, which many patients find unpleasant. CEREC uses digital imaging for this step to enhance your comfort and create a more accurate restoration.
Boost your confidence. The beautiful ceramic material reflects light just like enamel, so no one can tell the difference. Plus, it’s color-matched to your smile for a flawless finish.
Protection. Your damaged tooth is shielded from potential harm so that you can continue to eat, speak, and smile normally.
You might think because they’re made in a day that they won’t last as long as traditional crowns, but these can endure for 20 to 30 years with basic maintenance.

CEREC Same-Day Crown FAQs

How durable are CEREC crowns?

CEREC dental crowns can deliver protection and strength similar to lab-made ceramic crowns. Same-day crowns are typically milled down from a solid block of dental porcelain that allows them to mimic the appearance and strength of natural enamel while giving the restorations remarkable durability. While a CEREC crown can potentially last between ten and fifteen years, you can maximize your appliance’s lifespan by avoiding tobacco use, practicing excellent oral hygiene at home, keeping up with biannual dental visits at our St. Augustine office, and refraining from chewing on non-food objects or using your teeth to open packages.

What does CEREC stand for?

CEREC is an acronym for “Chairside Economical Restoration of Esthetic Ceramics,” a term that describes the process by which these customized devices are precisely crafted at a dentist’s office so restorations can be placed in a single appointment.

Will I have dietary restrictions with a same-day-crown?

Receiving a same-day dental crown does not require a patient to wear a temporary restoration while their permanent one is being crafted at a lab. This means you won’t have to worry about your temporary crown breaking off during chewing or when flossing your teeth. While CEREC crowns can handle the pressure of normal chewing, it’s important to avoid overindulging in hard or sticky foods. If you play sports or grind your teeth in your sleep, it’s best to wear an athletic mouthguard or a nightguard to prevent unnecessary damage.

Who is eligible to receive a same-day crown?

Same-day crowns can address all the oral health problems that lab-crafted appliances can, and we can determine if these devices can be a suitable treatment for you during your consultation at our St. Augustine office. We may recommend a CEREC restoration if you have issues such as a sizable crack, a misshapen tooth, or severe dental damage or to restore your smile after a intensive procedure like a root canal.

Can CEREC dental crowns be whitened?

Like lab-crafted restorations, CEREC dental crowns are made from nonporous ceramic materials that do not respond to teeth whitening treatments, so your appliance should always remain the same color even if you use dental bleaching products. In many cases, patients who receive teeth whitening may need to have their crowns replaced to ensure that their smiles remain consistent in color, so it might be a great idea to have your teeth whitened before receiving crowns so the appliances can be matched to your grin’s new shade.