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There are different situations for which Dr. Jerome R. Baruffi and Dr. Austin J. Baruffi may recommend a crown, and Dr. Jerome R. Baruffi and Dr. Austin J. Baruffi will recommend different types of crowns depending on your unique situation. Dental crowns are made from various materials, including all-metal, porcelain-fused-to-metal, all-ceramic or porcelain, or resin. The material the crown is made of will dictate the length of time you may have to wait for it, whether or not you will need a temporary, and of course, the cost.

A crown is a protective cap. Possible reasons Dr. Jerome R. Baruffi and Dr. Austin J. Baruffi may want to give you a crown include:

• To cover a tooth after a root canal
• To cover a cracked or broken tooth
• To cover a weak tooth, either because of a large filling, or because of the likelihood that it will crack or break
• To cover an implant
• To cover anchor teeth that support a bridge

CEREC crowns

CEREC crowns are made of a solid block of ceramic or resin materials. This type of crown is made right in our office during a single visit. There is no need to construct a temporary crown, take impressions for the permanent crown, and wait for the crown to be made at an off-site dental laboratory to be returned to Southcenter Dental about a month later.

This type of crown uses computer technology to take a picture of the tooth that will receive the crown, as well as the surrounding teeth. Thanks to CAD software that works with this system, Dr. Jerome R. Baruffi and Dr. Austin J. Baruffi can design the tooth while looking in your mouth, and make sure the color matches the rest of your teeth. Also, because the crown is made from a single block of material, it is considerably stronger than many other types of crowns.

Types of traditional crowns

All metal: All-metal crowns don’t require as much tooth preparation, and therefore don’t alter the existing tooth structure as much as porcelain-fused-to-metal or ceramic crowns. They are the longest-lasting type of traditional or permanent crown, and are far less likely to break or chip. Metals used may include gold alloy, palladium, nickel, or chromium.

Porcelain fused to metal: Porcelain can be matched to your natural tooth color. A disadvantage, however, is that these types of crowns create more stress and wear on the surrounding teeth than either pure metal or resin. The metal sometimes shows through at the bottom of the tooth, near the gum line. Porcelain can chip or break, but can be made to look exactly like your real teeth.

All ceramic/all porcelain: This type of crown is most easily matched to your existing teeth. Because there is no metal, there is no risk that it will show. This type of crown is ideally suited to people who have metal allergies. The greatest disadvantage is that ceramic or porcelain may cause more wear and tear to the surrounding teeth. On the other hand, it is ideal for front teeth because they look very much like real teeth.

Resin: Resin crowns are cheaper than ceramic, porcelain, or metal crowns. This material is more prone to fracturing and causes more wear and tear on the crown itself.

Different situations warrant different types of crowns. Dr. Jerome R. Baruffi and Dr. Austin J. Baruffi will discuss your situation and determine which type of crown you need. Our team at Southcenter Dental is happy to answer any questions you may have about crowns, CEREC, or any other aspect of your oral health.

To learn more about CEREC, or to schedule an appointment with Dr. Jerome R. Baruffi and Dr. Austin J. Baruffi, please give us a call at our convenient Tukwila, WA office!

Dr. Jerome R. Baruffi and Dr. Austin J. Baruffi and our team know it is natural for you to feel some concern when you need to wear any type of dental device to correct a problem with your teeth. Both braces and Invisalign can produce good results in giving you the smile you’ve always wanted. Both methods can straighten your teeth and alleviate such issues as crowding, spacing, cross bite, overbite, and underbite. Both methods of treatment have a similar cost.

You can take a cross-country road trip in a ten-year-old economy car or you can make the trip in a brand-new luxury sedan. Both will get you to your destination, but you will be far more comfortable traveling in the luxury sedan. Similarly, your journey to a great smile is much more comfortable and convenient with Invisalign as opposed to braces.

Comfort

Some of the discomfort you may experience with braces is greatly reduced with Invisalign. Because Invisalign is custom-fit to your mouth and made of plastic, you will feel less pain, irritation, and soreness. Unlike braces, there are no food restrictions; you can eat anything that is on your diet.

Brushing and flossing

Of course you will want to brush and floss your teeth to prevent plaque buildup, tooth discoloration, and dental decay. If you wear braces, these simple tasks can become quite a challenge. Invisalign aligners are very easy to remove and replace, so you can brush or floss like normal without having to work your way around any metallic framework covering your teeth.

Appearance

You do not have to be embarrassed to show your teeth when you are using the Invisalign system. Since the aligners are practically invisible, no one will even notice you are wearing them! Whether you are a teenager or an older adult, you can live your life normally.

If you want to learn more about Invisalign, or are wondering what your treatment options are at Southcenter Dental, feel free to give us a call at our convenient Tukwila, WA office!

Happy Independence Day from Dr. Jerome R. Baruffi and Dr. Austin J. Baruffi and team! The Fourth of July celebrations in America may have changed a lot over the years, but there is no doubt that we Americans love to celebrate the anniversary of our country's independence! Today we're devoting the Southcenter Dental blog to some fun facts about the Fourth!

• My, how we have grown! This year the United States Census Bureau estimates that our country has 313.9 million residents celebrating the Fourth of July this year, but back in 1776 there were just 2.5 million members of the country.
• Our country loves to show how proud that we are of our independence. Did you know that there are 31 United States places with the word “Liberty” in their names? The state of Iowa actually has four towns with the word Liberty in the name: Libertyville, New Liberty, North Liberty, and West Liberty.
• The United States loves Fourth of July food! It is expected that around 150 million hot dogs are eaten on the Fourth each year. One of the Fourth's most popular sides, potato salad, goes just perfectly with the hotdogs and hamburgers that are standard Fourth of July fare. Some people choose potato chips instead, but we wouldn't have such a plethora of potatoes if not for the prodigious production of the states of Idaho and Washington -- they provide about half of all the potatoes in the United States today!
• Americans love celebrating the Fourth outdoors: About 74 million Americans fire up their BBQ grill every Fourth of July.
• The Chinese contribution: Did you know that Americans have spent more than $211 million on fireworks that were imported from China?

No matter how your family chooses to celebrate the Fourth, stay safe, take precautions, and don't forget to brush after your fabulous Fourth feast!

Here at Southcenter Dental, we want to always be at the forefront of the dental profession, which requires that we use the best tools available to ensure patients that they are receiving the most optimum care possible. This year, at the Pacific Northwest Dental Conference in Bellevue, WA, our entire office attended “The Bottom Line”, an all-day class about the latest in dental materials and equipment. It was presented by Gordon Christensen, a prosthodontist who is the largest independent tester in the dental profession.

We learned about so many new ways to create an outstanding dental experience for our patients, and were excited to hear that we were already practicing many of the techniques Dr. Christensen recommended! Our 40 years of experience has taught us a lot about what makes our Tukwila patients smile!

While Drs. Jerome and Austin Baruffi often attend continuing education courses on clinical procedures, this seminar gave our entire team a chance to learn more about why clinical decisions are being made. We enjoyed being able to grow our knowledge as a team and look forward to implementing new materials and technology during your next visit!