Hi there,

After I got home from my CEREC crowns appointment, I noticed my crown was a different shade from the rest of my teeth. Getting the CEREC crown was quick and convenient, but the result is brighter than the rest of my teeth.

I did not want to bother my dentist again, so I tried to fix the problem by whitening the rest of my mouth. However, this did not work and the crown is still too bright.

Is there a way for my dentist to make my crown a different color? I like my CEREC crown, it fits perfectly, but I want a natural smile.

Max, from Friendship, Pennsylvania

Hi Max,

Your dentist can change the color of your crown, but he will have to redo it. If you get the crown redone, be sure to first have them use a temporary try-in paste so you can check it under many different light sources – natural lighting, camera light, bathroom lighting, as much as you can. This will give you the best idea of what your crown will look like when you go home with it.

If the CEREC crown still does not match, you will have to send it to a dental laboratory, which will need to be done through your dentist. A master ceramist can match the color, but it may take several attempts. This will lengthen the time it takes to get your crown, however.

The ceramist will have to cut back part of crown’s ceramic and apply a porcelain overlay. Porcelain is easier to color match. CEREC crowns are milled from a block of porcelain, making them very strong but the block is all the same color. Without any shading, it may look unnatural.

CEREC crowns are some of the newest dental technologies, and cosmetic dentists require skill to work the machine. If you want your crown redone, you may need to see a different cosmetic dentist, one who is more experienced with CEREC.

This blog post is brought to you by Gilbert Dentist CEREC crown provider, Dr. Matthew Roper, of Vista Dorada Dental.