CEREC crowns are dental crowns that can be placed at a single dental appointment within about two hours. During your appointment, your dentist will take a computer scan of the affected tooth. This scan of your tooth is then used to fabricate your custom crown out of a ceramic block while you wait. Once your crown is ready, it is then bonded to the affected tooth.
Post-Op Protocols for a CEREC Crown:
What should I expect after having a CEREC Crown placed?
After having a CEREC crown placed, the cement will need to harden for about 24 hours before it reaches its maximum strength. Because of this, you will need to take special care to avoid damaging or removing it. In the first 24 hours, you will need to avoid hard or chewy foods, brushing with rotary toothbrush, and flossing around the crown.
You may also notice small chunks of extra bonding material around the base of the crown. This is normal and these extra pieces should fall off within a few days while brushing your teeth. If, however, one of these pieces is sharp or causing discomfort, call our office and we can get it removed for you. Additionally, if your bite does not feel even or “right”, call our office so that we can make adjustments.
When can I eat?
You can eat as soon as your mouth regains feeling. During your procedure, a local anesthetic will be used to numb your mouth and keep you comfortable. This will cause your lips, teeth, and tongue to remain numb for up to five hours after your procedure. The amount of time you will remain numb depends upon how much anesthetic was used, where it was used, and how fast your body metabolizes it. Because you can do damage to your mouth trying to eat when numb, we recommend waiting to eat until you have feeling in your mouth.
How do I manage my pain?
The most common of pain associated with CEREC crown placement is a period of tooth sensitivity to temperature, sweets, or biting. This is completely normal and will usually dissipate within a few weeks following your procedure. However in some cases, tooth sensitivity can continue for a few months. The day of your CEREC crown placement, we encourage you to take Tylenol or Ibuprofen after your appointment and at bedtime.
How do I take care of my CEREC Crown?
To care for your CEREC crown, you will need to brush your teeth twice daily for two minutes at a time, floss once daily, and have regular dental checkups and professional teeth cleanings every six months. These checkups are essential to identify possible problems with your restoration early on before they have a chance to escalate, requiring a restoration replacement. Additionally, you will need to take special care to floss around the bottom edge of the crown because this is a common area for tooth decay.
