Restoring Smiles with Custom-Made Dental Crowns
Dr. Lurie offers custom dental crowns designed to provide outstanding support and a natural appearance. In many cases, he can place crowns in a single visit using CEREC® technology. Both traditional and same-day crowns can greatly improve the appearance and function of a smile. Crowns can strengthen and repair even the most severely damaged teeth. The advanced, lifelike materials used in modern dentistry today help conceal stains and enhance misshapen teeth. Patients interested in dental crowns in the East Brunswick, NJ, area, should contact us today to learn more.
Dental Crowns: The Basics
A crown is a tooth-shaped restoration that completely covers a damaged tooth. Dr. Lurie offers dental crowns made from several different materials. Porcelain is a popular choice among patients since it will blend seamlessly with a patient's smile. Also due to its translucency, porcelain will sparkle just like natural dental enamel. Modern porcelain comes in many different shades, and is nearly as strong as metal.
Dr. Lurie also offers porcelain-fused-to-metal (PFM) crowns. PFM crowns are an alternative to an all porcelain crown for added strength and durability.
Dental crowns can serve multiple purposes as a restoration. For patients who suffer from cavities too large for a filling or weakened or cracked teeth, a dental crown is often the most beneficial option.
Why Do I Need a Crown?
Crowns can be used as a way to restore teeth for several reasons. Among them are:
- A weakened or cracked tooth
- A worn or discolored tooth
- A cavity that is too big for a routine filling
- An unusually shaped or disproportionately small tooth
- A tooth weakened from a root canal
Crowns can be joined together to create a dental bridge. This type of restoration will attach to the adjacent teeth to fill in gaps in a smile.
Crowns are also an important part of root canal therapy. During root canal therapy, Dr. Lurie cleans and reshapes the tooth roots with accurate care. The very nature of a root canal will leave a tooth in a weakened state that may require a dental crown for long-term survival of the tooth.
What to Expect when Receiving a Crown
If Dr. Lurie determines that a crown is right for a patient, he will first reshape the tooth. During this process, he will remove damaged tissue, and create a more secure foundation for the restoration. Next, he will take impressions of the tooth. Lab technicians will use these impressions to fabricate a crown that fits comfortably and securely over the tooth.
Together with Dr. Lurie, patients can choose the appropriate shade of material. Once the custom crown is finished, they can return for a second appointment, and Dr. Lurie will attach the crown to the tooth securely with cement or bonding agents depending on the material chosen.
Same-day Crowns with CEREC® Technology
If patients qualify for treatment, Dr. Lurie can often provide a same-day CEREC® crown. CEREC® stands for Chairside Economical Restoration of Esthetic Ceramics. With this system, Dr. Lurie can take digital impressions of a tooth and design a restoration on-site.
We upload the designs to our milling machine, which then produces a natural-looking restoration in a matter of minutes. After he checks the fit, Dr. Lurie will attach the crown to the tooth. With CEREC® technology, patients are able to enjoy a fully restored smile in just a few hours.
Schedule a Personal Consultation
Our compassionate team treats all of our patients like family, and we want to make sure that their teeth are healthy and fully-functional. To learn more about dental crowns and which types are available, schedule a personal consultation with Dr. Lurie today.
