As we get older, we suffer damage to our teeth. For many, this is a fact of life and has to be dealt with. Cosmetic Dental technology procedures have come a long way over the decades and now there are many options for dealing with tooth loss and damage.
As we get older, we suffer damage to our teeth. For many, this is a fact of life and has to be dealt with. Cosmetic Dental technology procedures have come a long way over the decades and now there are many options for dealing with tooth loss and damage. One of the most common solutions for repairing damaged teeth is to put in a crown, a fitted-cap that restores the function and appearance of your damaged tooth.
The downside to getting crowns is that it can be a time-consuming process, involving multiple trips to the dentist, which also means multiple exposures to local-anesthesia. The dentist has to make impressions of the tooth and then send that impression away to a specialty lab. In the meantime, the patient will be fitted with a temporary crown, one that is often ill-fitting and uncomfortable. Once the permanent crown is finished, the patient has to come back for another visit and the dentist will bond the crown to the remaining tooth.
Understandably, many people dislike this process. We live in a busy society and it can be difficult to make time for multiple dentist visits. Not to mention, the irritation and discomfort caused by temporary crowns. So, it makes sense that many dentists and patients are embracing new technology that speeds up and simplifies the process.
Thanks to new digital technology, dentists are now able to offer same-day crowns. Instead of waiting weeks and having to put up with ill-fitting temporary crowns, patients can now have their crowns installed in a matter of hours. All the fitting and creating are done on-site while the patient waits, removing the need for multiple visits.
Stephen Nozaki, DDS will use a small camera to take pictures of the inside of the patient’s mouth and the camera will feed the information to a computer program will which create a virtual model of the patient’s teeth. He will then use the program to find the dimensions of the needed crown. This technology is not only faster but more efficient. Patients often complain that traditional crowns don’t fit quite right, something caused by imperfections in the process or just a miscalculation of measurements since the crown is made by a third party. This can result in even more dental visits.
With the new technology, the dentist can fine-tune the crown based on the virtual model of the patient’s mouth and once they are satisfied, they send the results to a milling machine. The machine then carves the crown out of dental-ceramic; after it’s finished carving it goes into a special oven where it is baked at a high temperature for 15 minutes. After it cools, the dentist will secure the new crown, to the remaining tooth. The whole process often takes less than two hours.
Image Dental is proud to offer this new same-day crown technology. The convenience, along with removing the middle man and the need for temporary crowns, is one of the reasons so many dentists and patients rave about same-day crowns. Reducing the need for multiple visits allows dentists to see more patients and patients go on with their normal, and often, very busy lives.
Dr. Stephen Nozaki is the owner and lead dentist at Image Dental in Stockton. He is a dedicated professional born and raised in California's Central Valley. With a commitment to his community, he brings advanced dental techniques learned from extensive education and continuous training from around the world. A third-generation Japanese American, Dr. Nozaki has a rich background that includes international living and a deep passion for both dentistry and outdoor activities. His focus in dentistry aligns with his passion for cosmetics and dental implants.
