Strong, Esthetic Crowns Start with Ceramir

Kids are just built differently—they'll brave freezing temperatures without a coat, bounce off the walls on little-to-no sleep, and willingly dip any food in ketchup. Even their dental makeup is distinct. With thinner enamel, wider approximal contacts, and narrower roots, primary teeth can be difficult to clean, and as a result, more prone to decay.

While preventive dental care is the first line of defense against childhood caries, there are times when extensive decay, trauma, or structural defects leave no alternative but to crown a tooth. Referring to it as a prince or princess crown may provide some comfort, but let's be honest—there's nothing regal about a stainless-steel crown.

“Up until now, stainless-steel crowns were for me, as a mother of a daughter, the single easiest way of getting a functional restoration with minimal costs,” said Jessica J. Sidharta, DMD, CDT. “However, most children and their parents are very disappointed with the metal look and poor esthetics. They want both esthetics and function in a single crown.”

A Better Option

A welcome departure from traditional stainless-steel pediatric crowns, which have been in use since the 1940s, Ceramir Pediatric Crowns are made of asmooth, glass-like, biocompatible material that’s highly esthetic and provides an excellent bond to tooth structure. Ushering in a new product category for Directa USA, these BPA-free crowns preserve maximum tooth structure during the restorative process, which minimizes patient discomfort and pulpal exposure while maintaining the integrity of the tooth.

“For me, Ceramir Pediatric Crowns are the perfect way to create a natural, esthetic restoration using minimally invasive techniques. My patients are never stressed, and the parents are always happy with the results,” shared Dr. Sidharta. “It has all the qualities of an ideal pediatric crown.”

Plaque-resistant and available in 3 sizes, the prefabricated crowns are easily matched to each patient with a size guide and can be cemented in using Ceramir Crown & Bridge, a bioceramic cement that integrates easily with tooth structure to create a permanent seal.

The crowns also are cost-effective and easy to handle in the mouth—for example, the distal contours can be adjusted by simply adding more composite to attain an ideal contact to neighboring teeth.

Doctors in the Driver’s Seat

The Ceramir CAD/CAM Block is available as an i-Block, which allows the restoration to be designed around a ready-made screw hole—simplifying placement and ensuring proper mucosal contour.

“The i-Block is unique because for the first time, we have a hybrid glass CAD/ CAM block that can be used to create customized, screw-retained implant crowns,” said Dr. Tudts. “It fits precisely on a titanium base or similar attachments, so that the final restoration can be placed in the same appointment—reducing treatment time and improving the patient experience.”

By contrast, T-Blocks are semi-translucent blocks that mimic the natural optical properties of enamel. The underlying dentin shade can be duplicated by using different composite or cement shades, which gives clinicians greater control over the final esthetic outcome by providing freedom to adjust the final shade and characterizations according to the patient’s specific needs.

Also available are C-Blocks, which offer a variety of chromatic values similar to traditional blocks, in which the color is directly matched to the tooth shade.

Advancing Patient Care Is Key

The North American branch of DirectaDentalGroup, a Swedish dental manufacturing company, Directa USA is committed to advancing patient care through a comprehensive product range that covers extractions, restorations, hygiene maintenance, managing occlusion, endo therapy, and more.