Reviewed by Dr. Nicole M. Berger, DDS — South Florida Smile Spa, Pompano Beach, FL
CEREC same-day crowns in Pompano Beach mean a damaged tooth is prepared, scanned, designed and restored with a milled ceramic crown in a single visit at South Florida Smile Spa, with no impression putty, no temporary crown and no second appointment. CEREC is the chairside CAD/CAM system Dr. Nicole M. Berger uses for most single crowns, inlays and onlays: the iTero scan of the prepared tooth becomes a 3D design on screen, a milling unit cuts the restoration from a solid block of ceramic, and it is characterized, glazed and bonded about two hours after you sat down. This page explains what CEREC is, when it is used, what the visit involves and when a lab-made restoration is the better choice.
Quick answer
CEREC is a chairside CAD/CAM system that designs and mills a ceramic crown, inlay or onlay in the dental office while you wait, so the restoration is bonded the same day the tooth is prepared. At South Florida Smile Spa in Pompano Beach, Dr. Berger uses it for most single back-tooth crowns and for inlays and onlays, from a digital scan rather than an impression. The ceramic is as strong and natural-looking as lab-made porcelain for these cases, the fit is checked on screen before milling, and the whole visit takes about two hours. Front-tooth veneers, bridges and complex cosmetic cases are still sent to the lab from the same scan, because layered porcelain gives a more lifelike result there.
How It Works
CEREC same-day crowns in Pompano Beach: what happens in the chair
CEREC replaces the three parts of a traditional crown that took two visits: the impression, the lab wait and the temporary.
- Digital scan. After the tooth is shaped, the iTero scanner captures it and the teeth it bites against in a few minutes, with no putty.
- On-screen design. The crown is designed on the 3D model, matched to the neighboring teeth and checked against the bite before anything is made.
- In-office milling. A milling unit carves the restoration from a solid block of lithium disilicate or zirconia-reinforced ceramic in about fifteen minutes.
- Finishing. The crown is stained, glazed and fired so it has the translucency and surface of a natural tooth.
- Bonding. The restoration is tried in, adjusted and bonded the same visit, with the bite checked before you leave.
The American Dental Association’s page on crowns describes when a crown is needed; CEREC changes how quickly it is made, not whether you need one.
Your Visit
A CEREC visit at South Florida Smile Spa, step by step
- Numbing and preparation. The tooth is anesthetized, old filling or decay removed, and the tooth shaped for the crown, inlay or onlay.
- Scan. The prepared tooth is scanned; a bite scan records how the teeth meet.
- Design while you wait. Dr. Berger designs the restoration on screen, about fifteen minutes; you can watch.
- Mill, stain and glaze. The ceramic block is milled and the restoration finished in the office, about thirty to forty-five minutes.
- Seat. Fit, contacts and bite are checked and the crown is bonded. Total time about two hours, and you eat normally once the numbness wears off.
When CEREC is the right choice, and when the lab is
CEREC is ideal for single crowns on molars and premolars, for inlays and onlays, and for a crown on an implant abutment, where strength and fit matter most and the ceramic shades match well. For upper front teeth, for veneers, for bridges and for a smile makeover where several teeth must match perfectly, Dr. Berger sends the same digital scan to a ceramist who layers porcelain by hand, because the translucency and character of layered porcelain still exceed a milled block. You are told which route your tooth takes and why.
Durability and cost
A milled lithium disilicate or zirconia crown lasts as long as a lab-made crown, typically ten to twenty years, and is bonded rather than cemented, which strengthens the remaining tooth. The fee is the same as a conventional crown; what you save is a second visit, a temporary crown and the sensitivity that often comes with one. Dental plans cover a CEREC crown exactly as they cover any crown, usually as a major service. Our dental crowns page covers materials and insurance in more depth.
Care in Pompano Beach
Why patients choose South Florida Smile Spa for same-day crowns
- One visit, no temporary. Prepared, milled and bonded in about two hours.
- Designed by the dentist. Dr. Berger designs each restoration on screen rather than sending a file away.
- Scan, not putty. iTero digital impressions, more accurate and more comfortable.
- Honest routing. Front teeth and cosmetic cases go to a ceramist when that gives the better result.
- Bonded ceramic. Strong, metal-free restorations that reinforce the tooth.
Patients come to us from Pompano Beach, Lighthouse Point, Deerfield Beach, Fort Lauderdale and Coconut Creek for care planned with the imaging and tools described on this page.
A cracked or broken tooth fixed today
Book with Dr. Berger. Most single crowns, inlays and onlays are prepared, milled and bonded in one visit.
South Florida Smile Spa · Dr. Nicole M. Berger, DDS · 572 E McNab Rd, Suite 102, Pompano Beach, FL 33060 · (954) 785-1100
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does a CEREC crown take?
About two hours from numbing to bonding: preparation, a digital scan, fifteen minutes of design, thirty to forty-five minutes of milling and finishing, then fitting. There is no temporary and no second visit.
Is a same-day crown as strong as a lab crown?
Yes for the cases it is used on. Milled lithium disilicate and zirconia-reinforced ceramics are the same materials labs use, and the crown is bonded to the tooth. Lifespan is typically ten to twenty years.
Does a CEREC crown look natural?
On back teeth and premolars, yes; the ceramic is shaded, stained and glazed to match. For upper front teeth and veneers, Dr. Berger uses hand-layered lab porcelain because it gives more lifelike translucency.
Does a same-day crown cost more?
No. It is priced and insured as a crown. You save the second visit and the temporary.
Can CEREC make inlays, onlays and implant crowns?
Yes. Inlays and onlays for larger cavities, and the crown that sits on an implant abutment, are routinely milled the same day.
Do you see patients from outside Pompano Beach?
Yes. Patients come from Lighthouse Point, Deerfield Beach, Fort Lauderdale, Coconut Creek and across Broward County, and a CEREC crown is a single appointment. The office is at 572 E McNab Rd, Suite 102, Pompano Beach. Call (954) 785-1100 or request an appointment.