CEREC® Same-Day Crowns in Onslow County

CEREC stands for Chairside Economical Restoration of Esthetic Ceramic, and it is a digital system that allows us to design and place ceramic restorations in one appointment. Instead of sending impressions to an outside lab, we create your restorations.

Digital Design and Chairside Milling

This technology begins with a digital scan taken with an intraoral camera. The scan creates a precise 3D model of your tooth, allowing us to design your restoration accurately. Once the design is complete, we mill your restoration from a ceramic block right here in our office. This same-day workflow eliminates the need for temporary restorations, return visits, or traditional impression trays.

Benefits of a Same-Day Digital Workflow

CEREC offers several advantages for patients who want efficient and natural-looking results.
Some of the most appreciated benefits include:

• One-visit convenience for crowns, inlays, onlays, and other restorations
  
• No messy impressions or temporary restorations
  
• High-quality ceramic that blends naturally with your teeth
  
• Precise fit created through digital imaging
  
• Less time off work, school, or military duties

We often use CEREC technology to restore teeth that need full coverage protection. Many damaged or weakened teeth can be restored in a single visit with a CEREC crown, enabling us to support your oral health quickly and efficiently.

Common Reasons You Might Need a Crown

A dental crown may be recommended if a tooth is cracked, worn down, deeply decayed, or weakened after a root canal. Crowns can also restore the top of a dental implant or improve the appearance of a misshapen tooth. Patients who want to learn more about materials and uses can explore our overview of dental crowns.

Choosing Between CEREC and Traditional Lab-Made Crowns

Some patients benefit most from a CEREC same-day crown, while others are better suited to a lab-made restoration. Our dentists will evaluate your tooth, your bite, and your long-term needs to determine which option will support the best outcome for your smile.

CEREC is a versatile system that allows us to provide more than just crowns. Its accuracy and efficiency support a variety of restorative and cosmetic procedures that can be completed in a single visit for many patients.

Conservative Inlays for Stronger Fillings

Inlays are ceramic restorations that repair damage within the top surface of a tooth. They are a long-lasting option when a filling may not be strong enough, but a full crown is not needed. Because they are milled from ceramic, CEREC inlays provide a precise fit and natural appearance.

Durable Onlays for Larger Repairs

Onlays cover one or more cusps of a tooth and are sometimes called partial crowns. We often recommend onlays when a tooth needs more support than a filling can provide, but still has healthy structure to preserve. CEREC onlays enable us to restore strength while conserving as much of the natural tooth as possible.

Same-Visit Ceramic Veneers

CEREC can also design thin ceramic veneers that improve the appearance of chipped, uneven, or discolored teeth. These veneers blend naturally with your smile and may be completed in one visit for appropriate candidates seeking cosmetic improvement.

Small All-Ceramic Bridges

In some cases, CEREC can be used to create a small, single-unit, or short-span bridge to replace a missing tooth. For patients who want to explore all bridge options, more detailed guidance is available through our overview of fixed dental bridges.

Custom Temporary Crowns and Bridges

While CEREC is typically used for permanent restorations, it can also assist in designing temporary crowns or bridges in specific treatment workflows. This can make the transition between dental visits more comfortable and aesthetic for our patients.

Both CEREC and lab-made restorations have essential roles in dentistry, and the best choice for you depends on your unique needs and long-term goals.

Convenience and Timing

CEREC restorations are created and placed during the same appointment, eliminating the need for a second visit or a temporary crown. Traditional crowns often require two or more visits, depending on the complexity of the case and the type of restoration needed.

Materials, Fit, and Aesthetics

CEREC restorations utilize high-quality ceramic materials selected for their durability and natural appearance. Digital scans often provide a more accurate fit than traditional impression materials. Lab-made restorations can be ideal for certain cosmetic or multi-unit cases that require advanced fabrication.

When We Still Recommend Lab-Fabricated Restorations

Some restorations are best completed in a dental laboratory, especially larger bridges, complex bite reconstruction, or cases that require unique materials. Our dentists continually review these considerations with you to ensure you feel fully informed about your treatment options.

Your CEREC visit is designed to be efficient, comfortable, and predictable. The process is straightforward and uses digital technology to ensure a precise outcome.

Digital Exam and Tooth Preparation

We begin with an evaluation to confirm that a CEREC restoration is the appropriate treatment. After numbing the area if needed, we remove any decay or damaged material and shape the tooth for the restoration.

Scan, Design, and Mill While You Relax

A digital scan creates a 3D image of your tooth, allowing us to design your restoration right on the screen. The ceramic piece is then milled in our office while you wait comfortably.

Try-In, Adjustments, and Bonding

Once the restoration is ready, we check the fit, make fine adjustments, and bond it securely into place. The restoration is polished and shaped to blend naturally with your other teeth.

Many patients seeking a convenient, aesthetic, and long-lasting solution benefit from CEREC restorations. This technology supports single crowns, conservative inlays and onlays, veneers, and small bridges. Our dentists review your goals and oral health to determine whether CEREC is the ideal option for your needs.

Patients often have questions about how CEREC restorations work. These answers can help you determine whether this technology is the right fit for your smile.

If you would like to restore your smile with the convenience of CEREC same-day technology, we welcome you to schedule a visit to our Onslow County office. Call us at (910) 353-5171 to request your appointment and experience how easy and efficient same-day dentistry can be.