Traditionally, getting a crown meant two visits to the dentist: one to prepare the tooth and take impressions, a wait of one to two weeks while a dental laboratory made the crown, and a second visit to fit it. In the meantime, a temporary crown would protect the tooth. With CEREC technology, all of that happens in a single appointment. We prepare your tooth, take a precise digital scan, design your crown on screen, mill it from a solid block of ceramic in around 15 minutes, and fit it permanently, all in one visit.
This treatment is ideal if you
CEREC (Chairside Economical Restoration of Esthetic Ceramics) is a CAD/CAM system that allows us to design and manufacture ceramic restorations in-house, while you wait. A small milling unit carves your crown from a solid ceramic block to the exact specification we have designed on screen. The ceramic used is tooth-coloured, strong, and closely matched to your surrounding teeth. No laboratory, no waiting, and no temporary crown.
Your appointment will typically take two to three hours. We begin by preparing your tooth in the same way as a conventional crown, removing any decay and reshaping the tooth to receive the new restoration. We then take a highly detailed digital scan of the prepared tooth and the surrounding teeth. There are no traditional impressions and no uncomfortable trays. The scan data is used to design your crown on screen, which we then fine-tune before sending it to the milling unit. Once milled, the crown is polished, colour-checked, and fitted. You leave with a finished permanent crown.
Beyond the obvious convenience of a single appointment, same-day crowns remove the discomfort and inconvenience of wearing a temporary crown for one to two weeks. Temporaries can come loose, feel uncomfortable, and restrict what you can eat. They also require a second injection of local anaesthetic at the fitting appointment. With CEREC, there is no temporary and no second appointment, making the overall experience significantly smoother.
CEREC crowns are made from high-quality monolithic ceramic that is strong, durable, and well-tolerated by gum tissue. They are suitable for the vast majority of crown cases, including back teeth and front teeth. In some situations, a laboratory-fabricated crown may be more appropriate, for example where a highly complex shade match is needed or where the case involves multiple adjacent restorations. We will always advise you honestly on which approach will give you the best long-term result.
Why choose Form Dental
We're a private, family-run practice, not a corporate chain. Every appointment is given the time and attention it deserves.
Book your first appointment at our brand-new practice in Stapleford, South Cambridgeshire.
Dr Lara Phillips grew up in the area and founded Form Dental to offer the kind of care she believes every patient deserves.