Advanced CEREC® Technology Gives You Convenient Results
If your teeth are severely damaged or you have replaced them with dental implants, you may need custom, natural-looking crowns to restore function and appearance. Dental crown and bridge restorations are commonplace, as more than 15 million Americans have them. The traditional method of creating a custom restoration used gag-inducing impressions and required wearing temporary pieces while your final restoration was completed in an off-site lab—usually taking several weeks. At our office, we use the modern approach to dental restorations with state-of-the-art CEREC® same-day dentistry. CEREC technology provides a minimally invasive approach to creating restorations, which can be created in about an hour at our office.
How Cerec® Technology Works
With CEREC®, our office offers the most convenient approach to restoring your smile, whether it’s for a missing or damaged tooth. In just one visit, we can create digital impressions of your mouth (no gagging on goopy molds), customize your restoration in-office (nothing is sent to a lab), and everything can be completed in one appointment (no temporaries). This process is ideal for those who need a restoration completed quickly or have a sensitive gag reflex. Using an intraoral camera, your impressions are done digitally, which gives us more accuracy when customizing your dental crowns and bridges. After the impressions are taken, your new crowns, bridges, or even dental implants are milled out of high-quality ceramic and color matched to your smile for immediate placement in your mouth, seamlessly integrating with your natural teeth. Whether you’re in need of dental implants, a dental bridge, or a solution for damaged or missing teeth, our one-visit approach ensures a swift and precise restoration process.
How Does It Work?
Step One
Once it is determined that you need a crown, we schedule you for a 2-hour appointment.
Step Two
After adequate anesthesia, we prepare the tooth for the crown, which can take 30-60 minutes.
Step Three
We then take a scan of your mouth using our intraoral camera, and design the crown chair-side, which is then sent to our mill to be created. This process takes about 40 minutes, in which you are free to relax, read, walk around or even take a nap!
Step Four
After the crown is milled to perfection, we come and cement the crown on and you are walking out the door! The total time is typically 2 hours.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are cosmetic dental crowns?
Cosmetic dental crowns are tooth-colored caps placed over damaged or weakened teeth to restore their strength, function, and appearance. They are also used with dental implants or bridges to replace missing teeth for a seamless, natural look.
How does CEREC® same-day crown technology work?
CEREC® uses digital impressions and computer-aided design to create a custom ceramic crown in a single visit. This eliminates the need for messy molds, temporary crowns, or multiple appointments, providing a fast, precise, and convenient solution.
How long do CEREC® crowns last?
With proper care, CEREC® crowns can last 10 to 15 years or more. Good oral hygiene, regular dental check-ups, and avoiding hard foods help extend their lifespan.
Is getting a CEREC® crown painful?
The procedure is minimally invasive and comfortable. Local anesthesia ensures a pain-free experience, and any mild sensitivity afterward typically fades within a few days.
Have More Questions?
Client Reviews
"We’d just moved to Billings for 2 months from Texas, and this dentist office is a God sent. EVERYONE is very warm and friendly. Jessica, the front desk lady who probably does everything is very helpful and welcoming; my hygienist, Kori, and Dr. Francis are just awesome! I like how they took real pictures of my teeth and doctor showed me the pictures and explained to me what’s going on with my gum and teeth in a way that I can understand. I’ve had several different dentists’ experiences in the last 40 years, they usually only showed me x-ray slides or images taken from their fancy new machine that all I could see were shadows of my teeth. Kori was very thorough and Dr. Francis was very clear in his explanations. Totally love this office’s excellent service!"
-Teresa L.
Today was my first visit to see Dr. Francis and to also have my teeth cleaned by the dental hygienist. First, let me say that the dental hygienist had to have done the best job I’ve ever had done. Not only was she very friendly, but she explained everything as she did it, it was the most thorough cleaning I’ve ever had done. The icing on the cake was meeting Dr. Francis. He was extremely friendly. He explained the exam gave me all my options. All of the staff that I met were very friendly. The office was very clean. I highly recommend their office.
-Kerisue D.
Undoubtedly the best dentist office I have used. I see Dr. Ferguson and her assistants. What a great group. They go out of their way to make sure you’re comfortable and genuinely seem to care. They explain your dental care and give good advice.
-Dan B.
Wow! What Service. My own dentist of many years was not able to get me in for emergency service and didn't seem to really care. Dr. Francis got me into his office within the hour of my emergency and patched me up until I could get the permanent fix. His office staff was amazing and needless to say - they cared. This office will be getting all of my future dental business for myself and family. Thank you!
-Reed G.
I was so impressed with the personalized care that I experienced at my recent visit. Bringing a child into the dentist for the first time is always a stressful situation, but Dr. Francis and his staff took the time to provide quality care while demonstrating compassion. Highly recommend!
-Stephanie M.
"I was treated with respect and felt as if my concerns were address with compassion . I really appreciated the time that was taken to explain what my options were. I will recommend Dr. Francis practice to anyone in need of dental care. Everyone in the office was easy to talk to. A big thank you!"
-Lori C.
Dr. Ferguson and her assistant are amazing! They take the time to deal with your needs and let you know exactly what is going on with your teeth. Best experience ever.
-Kym P.
My experience with Dr.Ferguson and her staff was phenomenal! From thorough oral cancer screening to personalized education, my experience was unique to any dentist I've been to in the past. I would recommend her and her team to anyone seeking above average dental care.
-Charis T.
Both Doctors Ferguson and Francis’ practice is first-rate. They are thorough and make the visit pleasant as possible. Great team of folks providing superior service. 👍👍👍👍