My job has me traveling a lot which means I am constantly on the run. Since I haven’t seen my family that much I have been putting off getting another crown. It just takes too long and I hate the time between where you have to wear a temporary. I am especially concerned with having to wear the temporary while I’m away from home. I have heard about CEREC same day crowns. They sound great, but I feel like they are too good to be true. My sister had one done and I think the color looks off. Is this one of the trade-offs with having it done all at once? Also, is it really worth the extra cost?
– Bill in New Jersey
Bill,
Thank you for your question. You bring up a lot of excellent points about CEREC same-day crowns. They offer many benefits over traditional crowns because they completely eliminate wearing a temporary which means convenience for the patient. Many patients are willing to pay the extra cost because their time is more important and that is a huge value.
As for the mismatching of your sister’s CEREC crown, this isn’t specific to CEREC crowns only. The bottom line is that some dentists just aren’t skilled at selecting the proper shade to giving a beautiful result. It would be wise to find a cosmetic dentist that truly cares about the aesthetics that go into cosmetic dentistry in order to get the best possible match. Cosmetic dentistry takes a lot of training beyond dental school and not just any dentist can do the work well, even if they offer the service. Feel free to ask your dentist about cases similar to yours, ask to see a portfolio of his or her work, and check out the dentist’s credentials. It is also good to inquire how long the dentist has been using the CEREC technology.
Most cosmetic dentists that are worth it will consider their work a failure, unless you absolutely love the end result. You should also have the opportunity to see exactly what your new crown will look like before it is permanently cemented into place. Hopefully this helps you in your decision.