Dental crowns are tooth-shaped structures that are placed at the site of lost teeth or over damaged teeth in order to restore their appearance and function. When a crown is restoring an injured tooth, it will serve as a “cap” for the remaining structure. This will provide the tooth with strength, and it will prevent fractures from occurring. If a missing tooth is being replaced, a dental crown will be installed on top of a dental implant, and the crown itself will serve as the new tooth. Most patients find that their new crowns look natural and function just as well as their original teeth.

Crowns are provided for many reasons, including:

• Protecting weak and injured teeth
• Following root canal treatment
• Improving tooth function
• Adjusting tooth appearance
• Fixing misshapen teeth
• Replacing missing teeth

Hilltop Dental Studio is proud to offer same-day CEREC crowns for our patients. With CEREC crowns, we can provide a patient with a customized restoration in just one visit to our practice. The patient will not have to wait for a custom restoration to be built in a dental laboratory or use any type of temporary crown. Best of all, our CEREC crowns look incredibly natural, and they provide excellent function.

We construct our CEREC crowns out of a solid block of ceramic and resin material. This material is easy to work with, looks natural and is both strong and durable. To start, we will take digital photographs of the patient’s teeth. These photographs will then be uploaded to a computer, and computer-aided design (CAD) technology will be used to create a model of a customized restoration. Our experts will finalize the design and upload it to a CEREC milling machine so that a customized restoration can be created.

It typically takes us about 10 to 20 minutes to create the custom restoration. Once it is finished, the CEREC crown can be applied in the same manner as any other dental crown. The patient can then use the restored tooth as normal, and it can be cared for just like any other tooth. It is important to practice proper oral hygiene so that the restoration lasts as long as possible. This includes brushing twice a day, flossing once per day and receiving a complete dental checkup twice per year.

If one of your teeth has become lost or severely damaged, a dental crown may be able to restore its appearance and function. A visit to Hilltop Dental Studio will allow us to determine if a dental crown is appropriate. You may call us at (540) 898-8181 to schedule an appointment.