Many techniques are now available for computer milling all or portions of an all-ceramic crown. This is revolutionizing the way we can provide this service. With this technology comes a significant commitment from the dentist and laboratory technician to produce a superior result, in both fit and esthetics. After testing many of these materials and techniques our office invested in the Etkon Scanning system. This allows us to scan and design your crown or bridge in the office. We are one of only a handful of dental offices in the country to actually have the scanner in the office, as it is typically owned and operated by the dental laboratory. We made this investment for our patients, to allow us to have total control over the design of the prosthesis.  Our laboratory technician comes to our office to scan the tooth model and design the substructure of the restoration. This information is then electronically transmitted to a milling center in Richardson, Texas.  If it is implant related, it is transmitted to Berne, Switzerland.  Many materials are now available to use in the ceramic crown, but typically the core of the crown is milled out of Zirconium, and returned to our laboratory technician in two days for him to perform the artistic and functional aspects of fabricating the restoration.  The advantages of this current process is the superior quality control of the milling center to produce consistent fit and strength of the understructure, and the ability to produce a very superior final result both functionally and esthetically. 

Many in-office systems are being used around the country to scan and mill the crown while you wait.  Although this technology will likely come of age in time, we do not feel the final result yet meets our expectations, particularly without the use of a trained laboratory technician in the process to guide the technology.

Above is our Lab Technician virtually designing the zirconium sub-structure for a bridge. 

Additionally, we also have a state-of-the-art porcelain oven oven in house.  This technology allows us to modify contour and and customize color if needed.  Most dental offices do not have a porcelain oven, and therefore if modifications to a crown or bridge are necessary, they must be sent back to the lab which necessitates more office visits for the patient.

This is a photograph of a crown that has been custom colored to better match the patient's neighboring teeth, loaded in our porcelain oven for the firing process.