Why Cracking a Tooth Is Not Such a Big Deal Any More
If you have been unlucky enough to have cracked a tooth, then you know that it can be very painful. You may also have had previous experiences with this and remember that the procedure to fix can be quite long winded. However, technology may have come to your rescue this time and dentists have different options now. What has changed and how can this benefit you?
What Needs to Be Done to Fix It?
Generally speaking, a cracked tooth will necessitate a crown, fitted on top of a custom tooth redesign, where the shape and appearance of the original tooth have to be modified in order to accept the crown. In the past, this meant that you had to have a model of the tooth created using a mould, which in turn had to be sent to a dental laboratory in order to make the crown.
How Software Can Streamline the Process
Now dentists are able to use computer-aided design and manufacturing technologies and this means that it is possible to have crowns made in the office while you wait rather than having to return for a second visit more than a week or so in the future.
The New Approach
The procedure now involves a digital scan being taken of the mouth using an intra-oral camera. This camera is no larger than the size of a pen and has a video camera fitted to the front end. This allows a 3-D image of the teeth and gums to be projected onto a nearby computer screen and then some specialised software gets to work. This software is able to suggest the perfect dimensions for the crown based on the size, shape and position of the tooth in question.
The dentist is able to fine tune this virtual creation until satisfied and then simply sends all the information to a machine in the back office of the dentist's surgery, which is in turn able to create the crown there and then out of a ceramic block. This is a process that can take less than two hours to complete in most cases and the dentist then has the crown in order to complete the process of restoring the tooth.
Dentists with this equipment in-house are able to give you a 'crown while you wait', which means that you won't have to endure a potential week or so of discomfort as you wait for the replacement to be fitted at your second visit.
If after getting a crown you still feel discomfort, don't hesitate to go in for a dental check up for any reason.
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