CAD/CAM Crowns and Bridges in El Hamma – Gabès

Who needs a crown or a bridge?

A crown is recommended when a tooth is too damaged to be repaired with a simple filling:

• a tooth badly broken down by decay or by an old, large filling;
• a fractured or cracked tooth;
• a tooth weakened after root canal treatment;
• a damaged or discoloured tooth, when veneers are not enough.

A bridge replaces one or more missing teeth by resting on the neighbouring teeth. An inlay or onlay is a bonded piece that rebuilds only part of the tooth, which often preserves more healthy tooth structure than a full crown.

Removable dentures are also a form of prosthesis; It's fabricated in our clinic.

The digital workflow with exocad

With CAD/CAM, the restoration is first designed on a computer and then manufactured from that digital model. At our clinic, the design is done in exocad: the dentist adjusts the shape, the contacts with neighbouring teeth and the bite before manufacture.

The impression can be taken with an intraoral scanner, a small camera that replaces impression paste. intraoral scanner is available at our clinic for all cases, the restoration is manufactured and milled at our clinic

How treatment works, step by step

1. Examination and choosing the right option

The tooth is examined and X-rayed. The dentist checks that the root and the bone are healthy and explains the options (crown, onlay, bridge, implant) and the materials available.

2. Preparing the tooth

Under local anaesthetic, the tooth is shaped to make room for the crown. If it is badly broken down, it is rebuilt first.

3. Impression

A digital or conventional impression is taken of the prepared tooth and the opposite teeth. The shade is chosen with you, in daylight where possible.

4. Design and manufacture

The crown is designed in exocad and then made in zirconia or ceramic depending on the case. Meanwhile, a temporary crown protects your tooth.

5. Try-in and fitting

The dentist checks the fit, the contacts and your bite, then bonds or cements the crown permanently.

How many visits, and how long?

As a rough guide, for a crown on a tooth that has already been treated:

• 1 examination appointment (often combined with the preparation);
• 1 appointment for preparation and impression;
• 1 fitting appointment.

There are usually 1 to 2 weeks between impression and fitting. A bridge, several crowns or a tooth that needs treatment first will require more visits.

Aftercare and advice

• Mild sensitivity, or the feeling of a "new tooth", can last a few days.
• If your bite feels high or the crown feels uncomfortable, come back for an adjustment; a small correction is often enough.
• Brush the crown like a natural tooth and clean along its edge with floss or interdental brushes; under a bridge, use bridge floss or a water flosser.
• If you clench or grind your teeth at night, tell the dentist: a protective night guard may be suggested.
• Have the crown checked at your regular dental visits.

In our dental clinic in El Hamma

• Restorations designed with exocad as part of a digital workflow.
• The choice of material explained for each tooth (zirconia, E-max ceramic).
• Coordination with the clinic's other treatments: root canal treatment, implants and cosmetic dentistry.

Equipment used for impressions and manufacturing: a high-precision intraoral scanner and a 5-axis milling machine.