Porcelain crown and inlay
What is a dental crown?
Either accidentally or due to cavities, the tooth can sustain different damages, ranging from simple cracks to extending over a larger area. Regardless of the cause of the deterioration of the tooth, it is important to repair or replace it, depending on the damage suffered.
Three types of restorations are traditionally used to restore a tooth:
- amalgam restoration also called “grey filling”;
- composite resin restoration also called “white filling”;
- porcelain crown to replace a large portion of a damaged tooth or a faulty filling (filling) in cases where a new filling is not the ideal solution.
Traditionally, the making of an artificial crown requires two appointments with the dentist to complete all the stages of the treatment plan, i.e. preparation of the tooth to be repaired, taking impressions, installing a restoration ( temporary prosthesis) on the tooth to be repaired, the work in the laboratory to make the final restoration, the installation of the final restoration in the mouth and its adjustment.
For several years, dentists have had a state-of-the-art tool to create porcelain crowns in a single appointment: CEREC technology.
Your dentist will be able to assess your needs and decide which technique to use.
And what is inlay?
Inlay is a means used to replace conventional amalgam or composite resin fillings. Inlay is indicated in cases where the tooth is a little more destroyed, but not enough to completely cover it with a crown. The inlay protects the tooth against the risk of fracture and allows it to better withstand the forces of chewing. It looks like a restoration, but it is made in the laboratory with a material similar to that of the crowns. The inlay is attached to the tooth with a resin/glue that hardens in seconds. If the inlay is inside the tooth it is called an inlay, otherwise it covers the walls of the tooth it is an onlay.
The benefits of a crown
- protects a weakened tooth (for example by decay), solidifies a cracked tooth
- restores an already broken tooth or a severely worn tooth
- protects a tooth devitalized by root canal treatment and which has had a dental post
- covers and supports a tooth that has a large filling when not much healthy tooth structure remains
- covers a poorly formed or severely discolored tooth
The E4D Dentist system offers you an unparalleled dental experience and allows us to provide you with high quality dental restoration in a single visit.
Same day dental care
Since time is not a luxury in modern life, we have invested in a CEREC system which allows us to provide you with the dental care you need in a single visit. We scan your teeth instead of taking a conventional impression. Then, we design a restoration adapted to your smile, which is then transferred to the machining center where your crown, inlay or veneer is created in our dental office. The final restoration is placed in your mouth the same day.
Digital images
Digital acquisitions use the latest in laser technology, which is not only extremely precise. Unlike conventional impressions that are sometimes impractical, unpleasant and messy, a digital acquisition is clean and fast.
Benefits of CEREC technology
- Speed : The porcelain crown is made on site, at the dental center, in a short time, which allows the patient to obtain functional and aesthetic teeth in a single appointment. This technique therefore allows the patient to save precious time and obtain satisfactory results quickly.
- Comfort : Only one local anesthetic is needed to prepare the tooth to receive the crown.
- Accuracy of impressions : The dentist uses digital devices and the steps are computer-assisted to fabricate a porcelain restoration. The impressions necessary to make the artificial crown are therefore digital, very precise and above all more comfortable to obtain for the patient than traditional impressions based on alginate, this famous “pink paste” which must be deposited on the teeth using from a mold and hardened in the mouth.
- Reliability : The risk of error on the size and shape of the crown to be manufactured is almost zero, because the prosthetist who manufactures the dental restoration is a computer and it is based on a 3D model obtained using 3D images to create the crown.
- Aesthetics : The porcelain used is translucent and has the ability to mimic natural teeth in appearance. A wide color palette is available, allowing the dentist to find a porcelain color that matches perfectly with other teeth. After installation of the crown, the color of the crown remains relatively stable over time.
- Durability and strength : Porcelain is a very strong and durable material, which allows the crown to withstand masticatory forces and protects it from breakage and damage. In addition, crowns help strengthen weakened teeth, restoring the natural tooth to 98% of its original strength.
- Preservation of natural structures : When a filling needs to be replaced, the dentist must remove that filling first and a small amount of tooth is also removed during the procedure. Fillings have a much shorter lifespan than ceramic crowns, allowing the patient to preserve the healthy, natural part of their teeth for longer.
- Predictability : Porcelain used for crowns has properties that allow it to not expand in contact with heat and not contract in the presence of cold. The patient therefore does not observe any discomfort, sensitivity or pain during temperature fluctuations in his mouth, which can happen with fillings.