Ouch! You just bit down on one of your favorite snacks and you got a sudden sharp pain that lasted for only a few seconds. What was that? For many people, this usually signifies a cracked tooth, which is different than a broken tooth. A cracked tooth hasn’t yet broken apart, although it’s about to!
You visit the dentist and you been given the news that yes, it’s a cracked tooth, and the recommended treatment is a crown (cap) that covers and protects the tooth from further breakdown. In the past, treatment for this procedure took two visits, you had impressions (models) taken of your teeth, and you had to wear an acrylic (plastic) or metal temporary crown until the actual crown was made in the lab, which usually took between one and three weeks.
No longer! Now you can have your crown made in only one visit … without impressions … without wearing a temporary crown.
In our office, we were the first dental practice in Arkansas nearly 4 years ago to offer the incredible service, made possible by the E4D Restorative System. The procedure goes something like this: After the tooth is prepared, a high-speed tomographic scanner takes multiple “pictures” or scans of your prepared tooth and surrounding teeth. After the data is captured, the design of the crown is completed, made to exactly fit your tooth and your bite. This designed restoration is then sent to a milling machine, which then mills the crown. After polishing and glazing, the crown is cemented and your appointment is complete! You leave with a beautiful restoration with less chance of sensitivity, sore gums, a changed bite, or many of the things associated with doing things the “old way”.
Best of all, there’s no additional cost involved in receiving this type of restoration! It’s a winner all-around for our patients!