The Mission Viejo dental crown procedure in six easy steps

Dental crowns are common restorations, available at virtually every dental office in the country. You might expect the procedure and results to be very similar no matter where you go. That is not the case! The procedure described here is for single-visit CEREC crowns, which Drs. Alex and Nina Basti use here at their Mission Viejo dental practice. Some dentists use an external laboratory, requiring multiple appointments over several weeks.

Step one: Examination

Every patient is unique, and we believe that every treatment should be tailored to your needs. Therefore, we will need to see your tooth, talk to you, and possibly take x-rays before recommending the best treatment. If there is more than one viable solution, we will explain the options, including the pros and cons of each. Once you and your dentist have decided that a crown is best, we will proceed.

Step two: Tooth preparation

The area is numbed completely, and all decayed or diseased tooth material is removed. Your dentist will then evaluate the healthy tooth structure. It must be sized and shaped precisely for optimal comfort, occlusion, and longevity of the restoration. The tooth will be built up or reduced as needed.

Step three: Impressions

Forget the goop-and-tray technique. These are digital impressions, with a quick, comfortable process comparable to taking a photo. Three dimensional, highly detailed images are then transferred to the design software.

Step four: Design

The crown is designed on screen, using specialized software. The procedure is simulated virtually, so that potential problems can be anticipated, and the design can be adjusted accordingly.

Step five: Fabrication

The design is sent, not to a far-away laboratory, but to our CEREC milling machine, right here in our office. In a matter of minutes, the custom crown is sculpted from a block of high-strength dental porcelain.

Step six: Finishing touches

Your dentist will try the crown in place, and check its appearance and fit. It is refined if necessary, and then polished to bring out the lovely opalescence of porcelain. The crown is permanently cemented in place.

If you want to benefit from the convenience of modern dental technology, call our office at 949-427-2096 and schedule an appointment today.