Dental restorations (crowns, fillings, onlays, etc.) have come a long way. It’s true that some dental offices still use practically archaic materials and techniques, but at least there are a few dentists who understand the value in quality materials and updated technology.
And Dr. Ramy is definitely the dentist who stays on top of cutting-edge technology! At our dental office in Palmdale we’ve got a lot of technology, but one of the coolest tech gadgets we have is our CEREC® machine.
Back in the day, when you had a damaged tooth (or teeth), you would have to come to the dental office multiple times and wait 2 weeks while a lab made your restoration (there’s dental offices that still do this). But our dentist, Dr. Ramy, saw the benefit of having CEREC® for his patients early-on — he was one of the first and only dentists in the Antelope Valley to have this technology in the dental office.
Why? Well, that’s because we’re a patient-centric office and having CEREC® means faster dental visits, more comfort, and longer lasting restorations for our patients.
Same-Day CEREC® Crown & Restorations: How it Works
Our skilled dentist, Dr. Ramy begins by evaluating your affected tooth and clearing out any decay in your tooth. He will take a digital photo of the tooth which means no gunky, gag-worthy impression material! (If that doesn’t make you jump for joy, oh, don’t you worry there’s even more benefits for you with CEREC.)
A 3D model of your mouth will be created after converting the digital image. One of our highly-trained team members makes sure that the new restoration will fit your tooth perfectly (just like creating a puzzle piece). Based on this accurate model, your restoration (crown, veneer, inlay or onlay) will be custom designed to fit your tooth.
Then, Dr. Ramy will use a shade guide to determine the color that will best match your natural tooth. Afterwards the tooth-colored ceramic (porcelain) material is placed in the CEREC® machine to create your restoration right then and there. You can even watch your new restoration being made!
Finally, Dr. Ramy will polish and bond the restoration in its permanent position. He also makes sure that it fits correctly for a proper bite. If a restoration isn’t properly adjusted to fit with your natural bite, you could experience tooth pain as well as jaw pain. Which is why seeing an expert dentist is key!
And that’s basically how it works. In just one convenient visit the aesthetics and function of your teeth can be restored without any long waits, uncomfortable temporary crowns, or messy impressions. Your tooth will look, feel, and function just like your natural tooth did before decay reeked havoc.
Exceptional Dentistry’s CEREC Restoration Post-Treatment Instructions
After you’ve had a dental restoration like our CEREC crowns, there’s a few things to expect that are perfectly normal. However, there are some things that aren’t normal so you should contact us right away. Here’s what you need pay attention to:
Tooth Sensitivity
After any kind of bonded dental restoration (crown, veneer, inlay or onlay) you can expect to initially have mild to moderate sensitivity when eating or drinking hot / cold foods or beverages. The good news is, this sensation will disappear in the next few weeks and not everyone will experience this. But if you do it’s ok.
However, should sensitivity last longer than six weeks, please let our dental team know. This could mean that your tooth has some nerve damage, and sometimes the decay was deeper than initially perceived.
Watch Your Chewing
You will definitely want to stay away from hard foods for the first 24 hours after your restoration so that your bonding can settle in at maximum strength. When it comes to chewing crunchy things like ice or peanuts, etc., you’re going to want to hold off for a couple of weeks.
Pay Attention to Your Bite
After you have a ceramic restoration done on a tooth, you might find your bite off-balance. While Dr. Ramy adjusts your bite when initially placing the restoration, because your mouth is still numb in the beginning, you might’ve felt like it was fine until later when the numbness wears off. Not to worry though, if after the numbness wears off you find your bite doesn’t feel right (you hit the restoration first when biting), just give our team a call and we will get you in quickly to fine tune it.
Make Sure You Have Your Hygiene Visits
One of the things we do to protect your warranty after having a CEREC restoration done is to have you in for routine dental hygiene visits. Probably the biggest benefit to having these done is that Dr. Ramy can spot problems early on and take care of them while they are quick and easy to fix.
We’ve found that those patients who skip routine hygiene visits are the ones who develop problems that cause the restoration to fail (aka decay reeks havoc AGAIN). So don’t be that patient! Commit to your routine hygiene visits so we can help you keep your restoration healthy, beautiful and strong.
Caring for Your New CEREC Crown or Restoration at Home:
You probably knew this was the topic we were headed to next, because we preach good home-care! We’re advocates for preventative-dentistry & we trust you’ll want to take the same stance when it comes to your health. And what better way to be preventative than on the daily?!
So here’s three really simple things you can do to ensure you keep that restoration in great condition:
- Be sure to brush and floss after you eat. As well as brush when you get up and before you go to bed.
- Rinse your mouth for at least 30 seconds with a fluoride rinse (Dr. Ramy recommends fluorigard or ACT rinse) before you go to bed for the night.
- Be sure to brush your teeth with a fluoride toothpaste like the prescription toothpaste Fluoridex.
Conclusion
Here at Exceptional Dentistry, we take pride in delivering the best dental services in the Antelope Valley. Once you’ve invested in one of the highest quality dental restorations available today, you can expect years of excellent functionality when you make sure it receives the best possible care.
But crowns aren’t the only restoration CEREC can provide you with! Do you need dental veneers in one day? Done! Do you need a dental inlay or onlay? Done! CEREC isn’t just fast and efficient, it offers you options. Best of all, when you take good care of your restorations, they will give you years of dependable comfort, beauty, & functionality.
CEREC single-visit crowns or other same-day restorations is the best way to go for your dental needs. We invite you to give us a call at (661) 349-7725 and schedule a visit with our exceptional dentist, Dr. Ramy. We are happy to answer any questions and get you on the path to your best health & smile. You can also schedule your visit online. We look forward to helping you create the smile you deserve!
