They say that life moves at a little slower pace in the South. That we Georgians take our time to do things right and enjoy the moment. My name is Dr. Don Jones, and I've lived in Georgia for a long time. I know that those impressions are true, but I also see the lives of my patients in the Loganville, Covington and Monroe areas getting busier with each passing day. Every hour out of the office or away from family counts. I've invested in CEREC technology to help dental treatment take a little less of your time. 


Understanding CEREC 


CEREC is short for "ceramic reconstruction." It is a precise method of creating a lovely, dental crown from a solid cube of porcelain. Suppose you've broken a tooth or have an area of decay so large that your tooth just won't hold a conventional filling. I prep the tooth, removing damaged portions and shaping the remaining structure carefully. Then I take digital images. This information goes into a robust computer program that tells the milling machine exactly how to form your crown, while you wait.

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The concept of a dental crown is straightforward. Much like a royal crown encircles the head, a dental crown covers the visible portion of a tooth. Its purpose is to protect a tooth that has been compromised by a large area of decay, breakage, or root canal therapy from further damage. All sorts of materials have been used to create crowns, but Dr. Don Jones prefers CEREC technology to give his patients at Social Circle Dental crowns made of lustrous porcelain. 


Any tooth in the upper or lower arch can be a candidate for a crown, depending on the extent of damage, your oral condition, and your overall health situation. Historically crowns were made of noble (non-reactive) metals. Advances in aesthetics led to crowns with metal cores fused to porcelain coverings. They looked more appealing than an obtrusive gold or silver colored tooth, but still showed a dark line at the gum and lacked the translucency of a natural tooth. 

Properly crafted and shaded, today's all porcelain crowns provide the best aesthetics. They really can't be distinguished from existing teeth. Initially, there were two primary concerns. These crowns had to be fabricated in a dental laboratory from impressions prepared by your dentist. That meant the expense and inconvenience of wearing a temporary crown for about two weeks, and an extra visit to the dentist. The second concern was whether all porcelain crowns were strong enough for posterior restorations (back teeth). 


CEREC technology resolves both issues, allowing Dr. Jones to craft durable crowns "chair side" in a single appointment. Precise three-dimensional images of your mouth are fed into a robust computer program that creates a digital design for your crown. That information goes to an in-office milling machine where the crown is fabricated from a small block of solid porcelain, while you wait. 


Porcelain is a ceramic material created by firing purified white clay at a very high temperature until it reaches a glass-like consistency. Modern ceramic materials are extremely strong, able to withstand the bite force of molars. A common rule of thumb is that you may expect to have a crown replaced in about ten years. In reality, however, with good care, an all porcelain CEREC crown can last a lifetime. 


CEREC dental crowns are definitely a strong, beautiful, and convenient restoration option for patients throughout the Social Circle area. Call Dr. Jones today at 770-464-1900 to schedule an appointment.
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